The Bible of Kumagoro: Getting Closer to Your God
by Psycho gurl
Summary: Tatsuha is stuck staying with his brother for a day due to bad luck on the day of a NG concert, but earns the chance of a lifetime because of it. YukixShuichi, TatsuhaxRyuichi (Complete)
1. The night of the storm

Disclaimers: Gravitation does not belong to me. It belongs to someone much richer, smarter, and cooler than myself.

Warnings: Shounen ai, pathetic attempt at lime

Notes: I CANNOT write limes. I'm too damn shy. Therefore, PLEASE overlook the terribleness of it…I tried! Umm…Written from Yuki's Point of View

~*The Bible of Kumagoro--Getting Closer to Your God*~

              I smiled secretly to myself as Shuichi's hands wound their way into my hair, hidden against Shuichi's shoulder completely. I didn't know what he'd do if he ever managed a glance of my weaker moments, and I was almost afraid to find out. Therefore I kept them hidden from him. If I were to show my weaker side to him, it would be like giving up entirely. I didn't want Shuichi to know he held so much power over me…the last time that had happened…

            I wasn't going to think about that right now. It wasn't important. What was important at that moment was Shuichi. I brought my face up to look at him, smile disappearing from my face as I did so. He was just lying there, smiling up at me happily, shadows casting an eerie light over his face, especially as the rain slid down the windows and cast streaming dark splotches on his face in multiple places. Absolutely beautiful, eyes shining even in the darkness. He wasn't even aware how absolutely perfect he looked at the moment.

It had been over a week since I had last seen him. I hadn't DARED visit him at work; Tohma or one of those psychos he works for would have bitten my head off for sure. His CD was going to be released soon and they'd all gone crazy when he'd gotten sick two weeks ago. He'd been staying at the studio ever since he'd gotten better, no matter how much I told the idiot not to push himself so hard after just getting over his illness. He really is an idiot.

He'd come home last night and I'd managed to drag him to my bed after he'd passed out on me in the living room. I figured it would best for him to sleep on a real bed after staying at a studio where all they had were those couches in the lobby to sleep on, so I slept on the couch in his place. I'd awaken to him sleeping on the edge of the couch, arms crossed under his chin. I'd gotten screamed at about leaving him all alone and ditching him for the couch that morning.

"Yuki, don't just stare like that," he chided softly, giggling a bit and wrapping his arms tighter around my neck. "We doing this or not?" He asked, tilting his head to the side a bit and smiling innocently. God, I hate it when he does that sometimes.

I covered his lips with my own and he giggled slightly before opening his mouth and meeting my tongue with his. He was so different than he used to be, back when I first met him. He was so fidgety and nervous after our kiss in the elevator. I almost found it funny, the way he refused to look at me and kept wiping at his mouth like there was something positively evil lurking there. I did manage to catch a couple glances from him though, and the blush on his cheeks grew larger every time he noticed.

Now here he was, squirming a little underneath me with his fingers buried in my hair, only a faint blush still visible on his cheeks. I broke the kiss after a while and kissed at his neck feather-softly, knowing how much that agitated him. "Yuuuuki…no fair teasing me," he whined, pulling on my hair softly to show his disapproval. "If you tease me I SWEAR I'll go into th…" the doorbell ringing interrupted him and he frowned, sitting up and crawling off the bed, grabbing his sleep shirt from the chair and sliding it over his head as he made his way out of the room. Whoever that was at the door was going to DIE in an instant, anyways. I didn't see why he was bothering.

Glaring daggers over Shuichi's shoulder as he opened the door I couldn't help but jump a little bit as I caught sight of my brother in the doorway, drenched and looking generally miserable.

"Tatsuha-kun, what HAPPENED to you?" Shuichi exclaimed almost immediately, grabbing a hold of one sweater-covered, rain soaked arm and dragging him into the house, closing the door behind him with his foot. Damn him and his caring. There are times during which your little brother just deserves to have the door slammed in his face. This was one of them.

"Concert got rained out. Mika and Tohma weren't home when I called for a ride so I walked back here," he explained as Shuichi pointed to a spot he was to stand on while he fetched a towel from the bathroom. As was to be predicted I stood in another spot a good ten feet away from my brother and glared at him, waiting for Shuichi to return.

"Here you go. Dry off some while I see if there's anything around that you could wear instead," Shuichi rambled, dropping the towel into Tatsuha's arms before running into my room and digging around through my old clothes. I could see him clearly from my position next to my brother.

"I hate you," I stated flatly as I continued to watch Shuichi dig through drawer after drawer. There was nothing I wanted more than to kick my brother out and pick up where we left off at that moment, but Shuichi would probably lock me out of my own room if I dared do such a thing. Therefore, I was simply reduced to watching him dig through my things and HOPING my brother would leave soon.

"Nice to know," he stated offhandedly, drying off his hair and obviously ignoring me. I smacked him aside the head and turned him to where he was facing me, walking past him and into my room, shutting the door loudly behind me.

As was to be expected Shuichi screamed and turned around to face me quickly, eyes wide. After a little bit his eyes softened and he went back to searching through my things. "I don't think there's anything in here that Tatsuha could wear. You think my clothes will fit him? They might be a little tight on him but than again, maybe not," he rambled, closing the drawer and walking over to the small dresser he used for his things as well.

"He can wear something of mine." I REALLY did not want to watch Tatsuha walk around my house in Shuichi's clothes. That would just be…wrong. I swear, most of his clothes looked like they barely fit him. I walked back over to the drawer where I kept my older clothes and threw a couple things onto the bed. "There, now get him changed and get him a taxi," I demanded, grabbing my pack of cigarettes off the dresser and shoving them into my pocket as I made my way out of the room. I had a feeling things weren't going to end so quickly or easily.

            "Yuki, he can't go out in THIS!" Shuichi demanded, following behind me. Almost as if on cue thunder crashed in the background. "Besides, then he'd just get all wet again. I don't want him getting sick," he explained, opening the door.

            "You spend more time worrying about him being sick than you did about yourself." He laughed and turned to stick his tongue out at me, running into my brother in the process and causing them both to fall over. Great. Now I had a soaking wet teenage brother--who had been staring at Shuichi only moments earlier--and a semi-damp lover. Something told me I was in for a very long night.

            Shuichi was almost immediately by my side again, making him blink a couple times before giving me an absolutely evil smile. I didn't want to know that would bring forth later. The little idiot loved to embarrass me whenever other people weren't around. For some reason he found getting on my nerves funny. He said it was 'cute.'

            "A little possessive there, aren't you big brother?" Tatsuha asked as he picked himself up off the floor. He was forgetting I could have him back out in that pouring rain as soon as I wanted. While Shuichi loved to embarrass me sometimes when other people weren't around, Tatsuha did it whenever he felt like it. Needless to say, I hated him for that.

            I almost smiled when Shuichi grabbed the clothes from where he'd dropped them on the floor and shoved them in my brother's face, smiling satisfactorily to himself as he did so. "Here's something to change into, Tatsuha-kun," he stated politely, turning that self-satisfied smirk to me and giggling like the idiot that he was. Stupid brother. If he thought I was possessive he'd never SEEN Shuichi.

            "Thanks Shuichi!" And he was gone, changing in mere seconds. Damn. He REALLY wanted to get on my nerves today. "What should I do with my old clothes?" he asked as he re-emerged, using the towel as his carrying case for his wet clothing.

            "Umm…just leave it to dry on the side of the bathtub or something," Shuichi offered dismissively, and Tatsuha was away and back again. Damn him. Damn him, damn him, DAMN HIM!!!

            "So…" he asked after a long silence spent staring/glaring at one another.

            "So…you call Tohma and Mika and have them come to take you back," I demanded, DESPERATE to get him OUT of my house. The little jerk KNEW Shuichi had only gotten home yesterday, did he really expect me to be HAPPY he'd dropped by for a visit?

            "Aww, Big bro, don't be so MEAN!" He whined, turning that pathetic little face on me. That same one Shuichi always uses. I hate it when they do that.

            "Yuki, just let him stay here tonight. It won't hurt you to let him stay, right?" I glared at Shuichi as best I could but he was staring at me in just the way that makes me go along with everything he says. I swear he uses it to his advantage.

            "Fine, one night. Then he's staying with Tohma again." Shuichi smiled brightly and Tatsuha stopped his pleading.

            "Thanks Yuki! You're the best!" Shuichi cheered happily, standing on his toes and wrapping arms around my neck, hugging me. "It's only for one day," he reassured me softly, trying to make it so Tatsuha couldn't hear him.

            "I hate this."

            "I know, but he's still family." He whined softly. He had this big thing with family obligations and whatnot. I could care less. My family either hated or babied me; I didn't feel like returning the favor for more than one case.

            "So is Mika…" Shuichi tried not to laugh and let go, turning to Tatsuha again. "Umm…" after a small stretch of silence Shuichi turned back to me, smiling innocently. "Can he stay in your room?" he asked after what seemed like an even longer time.

            "No way in hell." I didn't even want him there in the first place; he certainly wasn't going to take it over as well. Then again, there was always the problem of leaving him anywhere within easy reach of Shuichi. Who knew what the idiot would do.

            "Please. I don't want him to get sick, too."

            "Fine." There, I said it; he could sleep in my room. Didn't mean I was going to pamper him if he DID get sick, nor care, but he could stay. I just hope Shuichi wasn't counting on sleeping on the couch tonight for his little treachery.

            "Night brother, I'm going to go get some sleep. Don't feel like staying up without that Nittle Grasper concert. Night Shuichi," Tatsuha managed through a yawn as he made his way into my room, shutting the door behind him. Who knew what he was planning on doing in the morning when he woke up. I didn't want to think about that at the moment.

            Making my way over to the couch I lied down, burying my face in Shuichi's pillow and closing my eyes. Shuichi was NOT getting ANYTHING from me after what he'd done.

            "Yuki! I don't care if you sleep on the couch, but at least give me my stuff! I don't want to freeze to death!" he whined, pulling at the blanket that was currently curled underneath me. Oh, so THAT was what the uncomfortable lump at my side was. "Yuki…" I sighed and rolled over onto my side, freeing the blanket. If he wanted it so badly he could have it. "Thanks Yuki!" he cheered and lied down on the floor next to me, smiling up at me happily. "You really don't mind him staying that much, do you?" he asked after a long silence, still sitting there smiling like an idiot. I leaned over the edge of the couch to see him better, hair brushing against his cheeks as I did so. He laughed, as was to be expected.

            "No, I don't. But don't you DARE tell him that." He nodded, smiling happily.

            "Yuki's so sweet," he commented as he twisted a lock of my hair around his finger absently. Normally I would have hit anyone who dared say that, but this was Shuichi, and he was smiling so cutely as he played with my hair, twirling it around his finger and bringing it to his lips. "Your hair's so soft," he commented absently, returning to playing with the strand again.

            I reached a hand down to play with his hair for a little bit, running my fingers through the loose strands that flowed around his head loosely before I reached under his head and pulled him up for a kiss, using my other hand to keep my balance on the couch. His finger let go of the strand he'd been playing with and his hands once again wove their way into my hair.

            I was a bit surprised when he pulled away, tugging on my hair slightly. "No fair leaving me all alone down here," he whined and I slid off the couch softly, hovering over him as he lied back down.

            "Better?" He smiled and nodded, pulling me down for another kiss. I'd stopped being surprised, as of late, by him. He wasn't the same Shuichi I'd run into at the park that night, I was used to that by now. He still managed to surprise me sometimes, but not half as often.

            "Much better," he answered as I focused my attention on his neck, hands sliding under his shirt. I was surprised Shuichi was going along with things, considering the fact that my brother was in the other room, but I wasn't going to bring that up. There was no way I was going to let Tatsuha ruin things a second time. Hopefully he'd forgotten all about him.

            Shuichi gasped as a finger ran over his nipple lightly, just enough to get a small reaction from him. I smiled once again to myself as I ran my thumb over it again, toying with it gently, enjoying Shuichi's soft whimpers and whines.

            After getting tired of that game I lifted his shirt slightly to allow myself new areas to explore. Darting my tongue out onto his soft stomach I almost smiled as it jumped slightly underneath it. No matter how many times we did this I still couldn't get rid of all of his nervousness. I think I hit him sort of hard when I told him he sucked in bed, he's always so nervous. It's like he's never sure what to do even while he's doing it. That's yet another irresistible thing about him.

            I continued my ascent over smoother than silk skin until I reached my destination. Taking the same nipple into my mouth I licked and played with it mercilessly, taking in every little noise Shuichi made. This was what it was about. Not so much the sex, but the reactions I got. No one could ever understand just how absolutely wonderful Shuichi was at his job of 'slutty uke,' as I'd heard people (namely, my brother) refer to him before.

            One hand played with his other nipple as the other caressed him through his jeans. His hands curled tightly around the edge of his shirt as he rubbed himself against my hand. He'd always had a need for those small little fingers of his to hold something. It was cute, in a way. Unless he got a hold of my hair, then it just hurt.

My eyes strayed to his face as I switched and tugged on his other nipple with my teeth, watching his reaction. He was almost addicting, like this. Eyes half closed, perfect mouth open, hair spread around and over his face. I felt strangely satisfied that I was the only person to TRULY see him like this. Those assholes of Aizawa's might have been able to see him naked (another feat I'd once taken pride in) and have their 'turn' with him, but they'd never see THIS, the shining look in his eyes and small smile he was offering me now as I hovered over him, staring down at him.

            My hands strayed from their earlier activities to Shuichi's jeans button when we were both interrupted by a loud bang from the other room. Shuichi was immediately sitting up and looking past me to the now ajar door of my room. I should have known the little asshole wouldn't have gone to bed so suddenly, especially with Shuichi around.

            Shuichi pulled his shirt down before wrapping his arms around my waist and waiting for Tatsuha to make himself known. The idiot knew he'd been caught. He might as well just give himself up before I dragged my ass in there and suffocated him.

            As was to be expected, a few seconds later Tatsuha's head appeared from around the doorway, smiling like an idiot. One who knew his ass was on the line.

            "You're not…going to kick me out, are you?" He asked between nervous laughter. I turned to Shuichi and found him already giving me that 'please do whatever I want and I PROMISE I'll make it up to you with the best sex of your life' pout. Which also, in a darker, not noticeable way, means 'don't do what I say and I'm staying with Hiro for the next month.' I learned that the hard way. Damn him and his clinginess even when he's away. I couldn't have gone OUTSIDE to find a date if I'd WANTED to. Not that I would have. I hate seeing him cry, and I know SOMEHOW he'd find out about it and cry again. Only that time I'd know he wasn't only doing it for pity. I'd never do that to him, and I'd never tell him that either.

            "No, I won't kick you out, but GO TO SLEEP!" I demanded, closing my eyes and sighing as I heard the door close behind me. One eye cracked open to catch sight of Shuichi, smiling at me happily before letting go of me and curling back on the floor under his blanket. He seemed surprised when I picked him up and made him lie with me on the couch, but smiled and covered us both with the tiny little thing he calls a blanket. I wouldn't be surprised if I got sick, now. But, Shuichi was warm enough to overlook the lack of heat his blanket provided me. Sleeping with Shuichi in my arms, and his scent all around me, I almost forgot I was even sleeping on the couch after a while.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I KNOW I still have to write chapter three for Newsreporters and Rumors, so PLEASE don't kill me ukyou! I PROMISE as soon as I get out of my slump (it all got deleted) That I'll finish that up. As of right now, this idea is stuck in my head and I can't think around it. Sorry. Hopefully it'll be good too. It's fluffy!

I warned you about the horridness of the lime action, so don't say I didn't. I'm sorry there's not much on Tatsuha at the moment, but this is Yuki's POV, I doubt he'd really pay close attention to what Tatsuha was doing. I was just trying to set up that Tatsuha was there in this chapter, and fill in the access space with YukixShuichi. Next chapter will have more Tatsuha in it, I swear. Who knows, the actual plot might make itself known.


	2. An encounter with God

Disclaimers: Gravitation does not belong to me. I only wish it did (as does most everyone else).

Warnings: Um…Shounen ai (no shit)

Notes: Okay, let's hope the plot makes its way into this chapter.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I woke up to the alarm going off, sitting up quickly my first thought was that I was late for school. What else was I supposed to think? I don't necessarily set my alarm for anything else. Blinking and whipping sleep from my eyes when I realized it was summer vacation I took notice of my surroundings. Oh yeah, Eiri's place. Concert was rained out, ended up here. How fun THAT hike had been.

            Gods big bro's bed was comfy, I could fall asleep in an instant on it. Wish I had one like it at home, but he didn't like to spend his money on getting us things. Stupid dad. I'd never tell him but I kind of missed having Eiri around. Mika was there all the time, 'looking after me and dad' and just generally wasting her time. I was kind of glad she didn't leave me alone there, though. The house gets kind of lonely where there's only you and an elderly fart that only likes you because you're still stuck there with him.

            Yawning I crawled over the where Eiri's alarm was and turned it off, glancing at the time. It was friggin' five thirty in the morning! "Who the hell gets up this early in the morning!" Geeze! Big bro really was a mystery sometimes. Why would you wake up at six if you didn't HAVE to? The sounds from outside showed that obviously I HAD been the only one up. Oops. Oh well, if his alarm was on he wanted to be up this early anyways, right?

            Sliding off the edge of the bed I walked over to the door and opened it slowly, peering around the edge, fully prepared to duck back inside in case they DIDN'T want to be woken up and something was mysteriously found flying towards my head.

            "Sorry, Tatsuha-san. I forgot to turn off the alarm yesterday since you came over," Shuichi apologized from where he was sitting on the couch, smiling at me innocently. Well that was a bit of a relief, as was the fact that Eiri didn't seem to be processing things very well at the moment.

            "S'okay, just wondering. Besides, I though one of you might want to get up since the alarm went off," I apologized, knowing damn well that I hadn't given a thought as to waking either of them up.

            "Go back to sleep." And brother was down, dragging a giggling Shuichi with him and rearranging himself more comfortably.  I smiled slightly to myself at that one. I remember when we used to make forts out of blankets and pillows and stay up late pretending every noise was another animal out to get us. I'd always end up clinging to him for the next week after that so I'd have to curl up right next to him to sleep. I kind of missed playing around with him like that, too.

            I made my way back to Eiri's bed and lied down; glad the opportunity to sleep some more was given to me. I REALLY didn't feel like walking around after getting so little sleep, as I'm sure was big brother's thought, too. Although, it was kind of hard to sleep when you could hear Shuichi and Eiri talking (more like arguing) in the other room.

            After a good ten minutes of not being able to sleep due to their argument I made my way back outside the room and, for the first time since entering, left his room and the comfy bed behind. Shuichi blinked and looked over at me as the door clicked shut behind me before smiling brightly and hopping up to speak.

            "Take the brat out somewhere so I can get some sleep," Eiri demanded before Shuichi could make a sound, and I had to wonder which one of us he was addressing as brat. He stood up and made his way towards me. "You can do whatever you want, just get him out of the house," he stated again before opening the door and disappearing into his room. I smiled happily to myself as Shuichi blinked at me innocently, looking around to find what it was I was smiling about. So dumb, sometimes.

            "Hey, Shuichi, did you have anywhere specific in mind?" I asked as I sat down on the couch he and Eiri had been occupying earlier. Chances were he did, but I didn't care at the moment. Getting Shuichi to forget about his little…distrust…of being alone with me was the first thing on my mind.

            "Yeah! First, I was thinking we could go out and get some breakfast, since it's SOOOOOOOO early…" it was at this point that he sat down on the couch next to me and I completely forgot to pay attention. Wrapping my arm around his waist I think he forgot about it, too. "Umm…Tatsuha-san?"

            I leaned over to covers his lips with a finger and smile seductively. "No need to be shy. You want me, you just don't know it yet." Anything to confuse the little idiot into a little bit of free time was good. I was technically already kicked out of the house; so getting thrown a second time in an hour wasn't a problem for me.

            "Riiiight…" Okay, did that mean it worked or not? He looked confused, but he sounded more annoyed than anything else. I HATED it when they tried to confuse me like that. Was that giving Shuichi too much credit?

            So there was a good two minutes wasted of my brilliant plan trying to figure out whether Shuichi was trying to confuse me or not while he just stared at me innocently. /Dumb, isn't he?/ I asked myself as I stopped my contemplating and leaned over to kiss him. Who knew, maybe he did really want me and had just found it out himself? Wouldn't I just be sooooo lucky?

            "Tatsuha-san!" Okay, so scratch that one. But either way, I won out. He was so cute, blushing like that. Made me wonder if Sakuma-san was so shy, too. 'Tatsuha-san, Yuki's trying to sleep. We can't just do it here. What if he hears us and forces us apart?' I blinked a couple times as Shuichi lied down on the couch, staring up at me innocently. 'You wouldn't want Yuki to ruin something so niiiice, would you?' he asked seductively as a hand roamed up his shirt, the other stroking himself through his jeans. I had to be in HEAVEN or something. It could only get better if Sakuma Ryuichi was there with him!

            "Tatsuha-san! Are you okay? You're not blinking?" Shuichi asked as he waved a hand in front of my face, making me jump back a little bit. Hadn't he just been lying down? His face scrunched up worriedly before he leaned over a bit and reached his hand up to feel my forehead. Dammit! Was my mind TRYING to torment me or something, showing me such heaven when it was forbidden to me? Not like I gave a damn whether it was forbidden or not, but STILL. I should have known Shuichi wasn't going to give in so easily. Stupid, stupid, STUPID me!

            "Sorry, I think I just sort of zoned for a moment." /Do it again./ Shuichi frowned before sitting back and smiling.

            "That's okay. I don't have work today but I know Tohma has to be there, so I was thinking we could do by NG records after breakfast, what do you think? Or maybe we could go out for food afterwards. Hm?" I shrugged and figured I'd do whatever he wanted. It wasn't like hanging out Shuichi was some sort of nightmare. My earlier daydream proved way past otherwise.

            "Either way's fine by me." If I didn't know any better I could have sworn Shuichi's smile turned evil at that moment. Before I could reflect on it, however, he was up and pulling me off the couch.

            "Come on then, let's hurry and get ready so we can go. I'll go dig you up some more of Yuki's old clothes!" he exclaimed happily, bouncing off towards my brother's room happily. Within a minute he was back out, changed, with more clothes for me to wear and a deep red blush marking his cheeks.  "Yuki's so MEAN sometimes," he whined while he handed me the clothes.

            "I can be meaner," I stated offhandedly and Shuichi shook his head. I smirked before removing my shirt and throwing it on the floor next to the couch. I'd ask Shuichi where to put it later.

            "Tatsuha-san! You can't change right here!" He screamed loud enough that I was SURE Eiri was going to hear him and rip my head off.

            "Tease the brat all you want but tell him to keep quiet!" Eiri screamed from his room and I had to laugh. I hadn't been expecting THAT, although I know I should have been. I finished changing right where I'd started, smiling satisfactorily to myself as Shuichi had managed to turn the shade of his hair by the time I was finished.

            "So…are we going?" I asked casually and Shuichi just nodded quietly, following me to and out the door before shaking his head and latching onto my hand.

            "Come on!" I didn't see what he was in such a rush for, but oh well. A hyper Shuichi latched onto my hand was a sure ticket to something good. Whether it was GOOD good or just good, I wasn't sure, but who cared? I sure as hell didn't.

            So, after a good half hour walk to Shuichi's work (all the time listening to him talking about where to go for breakfast) we finally arrived. He almost immediately let go of my hand and bounced in through the automatic doors, announcing happily (and loudly) to what was most likely EVERYONE in the building that he was there.

"Shuichi!!!" What was this, some sort of mating call or something? I blinked a couple times as Shuichi went falling down in front of me, lying on his back and giggling happily. "Did Shu-chan come to visit Kumagoro and Ryuichi? That's so SWEET na no da!" It took all my strength not to faint or attach myself to the little wide-eyed ball of energy sitting on Shuichi's stomach and giggling happily.

"No, actually. I came to intro…"

"Oh! You brought a friend na no da!" he squealed before Shuichi could finish and scrambled off him quickly to stand in front of me. "Hi! I'm Ryuichi na no da! This is Kumagoro!" he cheered happily and I smiled, bowing as low as I possibly could without falling over. This was the very reason I breathed every day. "Oh! Fan!" He cheered happily and I blinked, standing upright and watching in amazement as he dropped to his knees on the floor and bowed.

I could hear my heart beating in my chest as he looked up at me with narrow eyes and a genuine smile on his face, bangs hanging in his eyes. "Fans are everything to Kumagoro and me, na no da," he explained softly, almost so I couldn't hear him. Picking himself up off the floor he extended one of Kumagoro's furry hands towards me and smiled apologetically, eyes wide again. "Kumagoro doesn't know anything about Japan," he apologized and I smiled back at him, reaching out and taking Kumagoro's paw in mine, shaking it.

"Nice to meet you Kumagoro. I'm Tatsuha Uesugi," I managed in English. I'd learned quite a bit from Tohma while he was teaching Yuki before they went to New York. I was still sort of surprised I remembered as much as I did. Ryuichi's eyes lit up happily and he hugged Kumagoro to himself tightly, forcing me to let go.

"You know English?" he asked in near-perfect English, making me feel kind of silly about my own accent.

"A little," I somehow managed again and Ryuichi nodded, placing Kumagoro on his head before turning to Shuichi.

            "Does Shu-chan want to do something na no da? Ryuichi and Kumagoro are bored." Shuichi picked himself off the floor and brushed what LITTLE dirt could still remain on an NG building floor. Tohma was sure to keep those squeaky, break-your-neck clean.

            "Actually, I brought Tatsuha with me because I was sorta hoping we could all go out for breakfast," Shuichi stated cheerfully, smiling. Ryuichi blinked before looking up as best he could at Kumagoro, waiting to hear his opinion, I guess.

            "Okay! Kumagoro's hungry too, so let's all go na no da!" he cheered, grabbing onto my arm and pulling me out of the building with him and Kumagoro, smiling up at me like a child in a candy store. I was a little surprised by how he acted, at first, but I was slowly getting used to him, and I found I wasn't nervous around him, especially not as much as I though I would be. Then again, I was raised around Yuki and Tohma, and knew Shuichi fairly well. I was used to being raised around celebrities.

            "So, where are we going?" I asked after a while of being led around, Ryuichi humming a happy little song and swinging back and forth cutely as he walked down the street, still attached to my arm. That was a little strange, but after a while I just ended up swaying slightly with him. Every once in a while he would look over his shoulder to talk to Shuichi, and that was the only way I was ever reminded that he was there.

            Ryuichi stopped suddenly and blinked a couple times before looking over his shoulder at Shuichi. "Shu-chan, where are we going na no ka?" he asked softly, letting the silence stretch awkwardly until I couldn't help but laugh a little. He blinked a couple times as he stared up at me. "What's so funny?"

            "Nothing really." And indeed, nothing really was particularly funny. It was just so damn cute, him leading us around Tokyo without a clue as to where he was supposed to be taking us. He pouted and stood on his toes so Kumagoro was shoved in my face, his own face twisted into an adorable little pouty frown.

            "If you don't tell us I'll hate you na no da," he demanded and I snatched Kumagoro from off his head and held him out in front of me.

            "Would he really hate me?" I asked his as Ryuichi reached for him, keeping him JUST out of reach for him.

            "I'll really hate you if you don't give Kumagoro back na no da!" he threatened and I looked down at him as he reached over my arm for the little stuffed toy, smiling brightly even as he threatened me.

            "What if I take him hostage?"

            "We'll both hate you na no da!" I laughed to myself and held Kumagoro out to Ryuichi, letting him take him back.

            "Ask Kumagoro if he hates me," I begged and Ryuichi stuck his tongue out at me, giggling even as he did so.

            "Kumagoro, Tatsuha's a big meany-head, huh?" he asked the stuffed rabbit in English and I laughed, picking up on it immediately. One could hardly toss an insult at me in any language without me knowing it. He made Kumagoro nod before sticking him back on his head and turning to talk to Shuichi. There were quite a number of people staring at us at the moment, but none of us cared. People stared at anything remotely different. We were having too much fun to care about their stupid idea of normality. At least, I was.

            "How about we go over there?" Shuichi asked, pointing to the small little restaurant across the street. "I've never been there, so it'd be worth a try, right?" Ryuichi nodded before turning back to me.

            "You wanna go?" he asked and I blinked a couple times before crossing my arms and turning my back to him.

            "Do you hate me?" I asked, waiting for him to answer. Of course, I KNEW what his answer was going to be, but I wanted to hear it.

            "Of course not! And Kumagoro forgives you na no da! Let's go!" he practically begged as he pulled at my hands, trying to drag me along with him.

            "Okay!" I cheered, wrapping an arm around his neck and holding him in a loose lock as I dragged HIM towards the restaurant, laughing and trying to get free. He even hit me with Kumagoro a couple times while we were waiting to cross, swearing between laughter that he'd hate me if I didn't let go. If he'd really tried to get out he could have, but I wasn't going to ruin his fun…

            Finally, after two public scenes and a walk across the street, we were at the restaurant and I let go of Ryuichi, opening the door for him and Shuichi before following myself.

            "Tatsuha's MEAN!" Ryuichi whined playfully as he stuck his tongue back out at me on our way to the table (it was one of those self-seating almost hang-out places for friends to get together). He seemed to be doing that to me a lot. Oh well, at least he was enjoying himself, and it wasn't like I was taking it personally or anything. I knew it was all in good fun.

            "Oh! What's Shu-chan going to get?" Ryuichi asked as Shuichi put down his menu, leaning over to look down at his menu like it was going to tell him. Shuichi laughed and caught Kumagoro as he fell off his head, setting him on the table.

            "I was just going to get the French toast. Yuki tells me I'll be fat when I'm older if I don't stop eating so much," Shuichi answered, blushing slightly. I laughed and reached over the table to pat his head.

            "He's just afraid you'll turn out looking like the old man." Shuichi made a face and sunk down in his chair slightly, crossing his arms over his stomach protectively. Ryuichi blinked before leaning over the table even farther and staring at Shuichi.

            "What's wrong, Shu-chan? Does your stomach hurt?" he asked innocently, making Shuichi sink down lower in his chair. Ryuichi's eyes got really wide all of a sudden and he pulled back to sit in his seat. "Is Shu-chan PREGNANT na no ka!" The entire restaurant was looking at us by that point and Shuichi blended in with the red carpet on the floor as he sunk down until all I could see of him was his eyes.

            "No…" he whined, sounding like he was going to cry in embarrassment, and I didn't blame him. Even if I were a girl I wouldn't want someone screaming that out in the middle of a restaurant. Ryuichi blinked a couple more times before grabbing Kumagoro and I pulled him to sit back down next to me.

            "What's wrong with Shu-chan na no ka?" Ryuichi asked me quietly, leaning over so no one else would hear. I smiled evilly as I answered him loud enough for Shuichi to hear as well.

            "He thinks he's FAT," I answered with a slight accent, making the table next to us look over at him. Shuichi kicked me from under the table and I jumped, making Ryuichi investigate what was going on under there, which made the people at the table next to us move. I smiled and waved at them cheerfully as they walked past us, sending us dirty glares. Damn preppy women. There were times I just couldn't STAND their attitudes.

             I couldn't help but laugh as Shuichi jumped and stood up, pulling away to hide behind his chair from Ryuichi. "Shu-chan isn't fat, na no da. He's just not really, really, teeny-tiny thin" he cheered reassuringly before I felt him move around by my feet and reemerge in the seat next to mine, hair an utter mess.

            "Th-thanks," he managed as he sat back down, still covering his stomach from further abuse.

            "What are you getting, then?" Ryuichi asked as he swung his legs happily under the table, bouncing Kumagoro on his knees.

            "I was just going to get some coffee." Ryuichi's eyes widened before he leaned up to stare at me.

            "You drink coffee? That's so COOL!" he cheered even before I could answer, falling back into his seat and holding Kumagoro up to eye level. "Did you hear that, he drinks coffee! Tohma drinks coffee, too, but he says I'm not allowed to have any," he explained and I nodded. I could see why Tohma wouldn't let him have any; he was energetic enough as it was.

            The waitress came around and I could have SWORN she was staring at Shuichi as he ordered, and I didn't blame her. Maybe that would help Shuichi realize he wasn't fat. She also flashed me an appreciative smile and flashed one of those 'I LOVE kids' smiles that girls have stored away somewhere in their facial muscles that guys don't have, at Ryuichi.

 Ryuichi had decided to steal some of Shuichi's food since he was so worried about getting fat, and I had my coffee. All was good.

            "You know, I don't mean to pry or anything, but you look a lot like that Yuki Eiri fellow. I haven't read any of his books but I've seen him on TV," she managed conversationally as she poured my coffee, casting a short glance over at Ryuichi as he continued to play with Kumagoro.

            "I get that a lot, actually. Never looked into it. Maybe he's a long lost relative or something. Doubt it, though." She smiled and nodded, standing back up and smiling politely.

            "You never know. Your order should be ready in a few minutes," she offered to Shuichi before leaving. Ryuichi blinked a couple times before pulling on my hair a bit. I grabbed my hair from him protectively and turned to see what he wanted.

            "You DO look like Yuki na no da," he exclaimed suddenly, blinking a couple times more. "See? Doesn't he, Shu-chan?" he asked, turning my face so Shuichi could see. I couldn't help but laugh at the look Shuichi was giving us.

            "Yeah, he does," he managed while trying to stifle his own laughter.

            "What'd I miss, na no da?" Ryuichi asked, looking between the two of us in confusion.

            "I forgot to mention. Tatsuha is Yuki's little brother," Shuichi cleared up after a while, stirring his water with the back of his spoon for who KNOWS why. "Although I don't know why you didn't tell her that," he asked me and I smiled slightly.

            "Eiri doesn't want us involved in the media over him, and I'm not going to ruin that." Shuichi smiled brightly in return and Ryuichi attached himself to my arm.

            "No fair keeping secrets from me and Kumagoro! Apologize na no da!" he demanded and I did so, taking a sip of my coffee with my free hand. "Can I try?" he asked hopefully, leaning over to look inside the tiny little cup.

            "Sure, but I doubt you'll like it," I offered and he dropped Kumagoro into my lap to pick it up, and I had my hands underneath it just in case it was too hot and he dropped it. I had fairly good reflexes when it came to catching things.

            He tasted it and immediately made a face, pushing it into my hands. "It's bitter na no da!" he whined, picking up his water and taking a drink to clear the taste from his mouth. "Tohma's is lighter than yours, does it taste any better?" he asked, leaning over to inspect the color of the liquid. I sighed and poured a small container of cream into what was remaining (whish was actually quite a lot) of my coffee.

            "Like that?" I asked as I stirred it and he nodded, taking the cup quickly and tasting it almost as fast. He made a face again and put it back on the table, grabbing my water and drinking it, seeing as he'd drank all of his.

            "It hurts na no da! And it still tastes bad!" he whined, leaning his head on my shoulder for a split second to accent his miserableness. I reached over and grabbed a packet of sugar as well and dangled it in front of Ryuichi.

            "Would you be willing to try it one more time?" I asked and Ryuichi's eyes gleamed slightly at the packet of sugar I was holding.

            "Yes!" So I forfeited the last of what had once been my coffee and deposited the sugar into it, stirring it thoroughly with my spoon. Ryuichi took it cautiously and tried it, blinking a couple times before smiling. "It's yummy!" he cheered and I smiled, pushing the little saucer over next to him.

            "You can drink it then, I don't like it like that," Ryuichi pouted and patted Kumagoro's head on my lap.

            "For being nice and letting Ryuichi have your coffee you can play with Kumagoro na no da!" Ryuichi exclaimed happily as he drank the rest of my coffee as quickly as I could so I could get a refill and have my own coffee faster.

            Breakfast was eaten in general peace, as far as Ryuichi, Shuichi, and myself are concerned. There weren't all THAT many complaints of us being loud, and by the end we had a little area all to ourselves. All was good.

            "Hey, Tatsuha, do you wanna come back to Ryuichi's house with Ryuichi and Kumagoro and watch movies na no ka? We have all sorts!" Either I was COMPLETELY delusional or Ryuichi was BLUSHING when he asked me that, clinging to Kumagoro tightly.

            "Of course. I could never turn down an invitation from Kumagoro himself," I offered and Ryuichi smiled brightly, hugging Kumagoro tighter. Today was destined to be a perfect day.

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Flashes her 'I LOVE kids' smile. RYUICHI IS MY FAVORITE!!! Gee, can you all guess where this is going??? NOPE! I BET NOT!!! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *Coughs and gives up* Okay! So chapter two is out, and the plot has risen it's little furry head in the form of Kumagoro and Ryuichi!!! ^_^ Now we can actually work with this!


	3. You make me feel human again

Disclaimers: Gravitation does no belong to me. I think everyone understands that by now. If not, it DOESN'T!!!

Warnings: Umm…I don't know if there are any. A little bit of Shounen ai

Notes: WE HAVE A PLOT TO WORK WITH NOW!!!

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            It wasn't that long of a walk from the restaurant to my place, really, and I was sort of glad for that. Kumagoro had been whining the entire time about how hot he was and that I should wash my hair! I washed it just the other day na no da! I would have washed it yesterday, too, but I was too busy arguing with Tohma. Oh! Sometimes he can be so MEAN na no da! He wasn't going to let us reschedule our last concert. I'd SOOOOOO been looking forward to it na no da! I'd have to ask Tatsuha what he thought about it later.

            "Wait right here and I'll go grab the TV na no da! Watch Kumagoro and keep him out of trouble!" I ordered as I closed the door behind me, shoving Kumagoro into Tatsuha's arms. He laughed softly and I made my way to my room.

            "Nice decorating," he commented as I opened my door and grabbed my TV. I was SO glad it was one of those thin TVs. I wouldn't be able to pull it otherwise. I wasn't week but I had a BIG TV on a fairly big stand with all its other stuff on it. It was heavy anyways na no da!

            "It's my practice room na no da," I explained as I wheeled the TV into the room, stopping in front of where I normally set it. "It was Kumagoro's idea to make the living room into a practice room since it was so BIG na no da!" Tatsuha nodded and dropped Kumagoro on the floor next to him as he leaned behind the TV to plug it in. "Ah! You don't have to na no da! I was going to have Kumagoro help me and do it myself!" I wasn't used to having people help me, it was sort of strange. They normally just sat there and waited for me to join them. That was why I'd invited Tatsuha over; he seemed so different from the other fans I'd run into.

            "Well, Kumagoro tells me he needs a holiday," he answered from behind the TV and I glared at Kumagoro. We BOTH knew he didn't do ANYTHING around the house unless I ordered him to do it. It wasn't nice to take advantage of Tatsuha like that na no da! "There, I think I got it all. Anything else?" He sat back and looked up at me, grabbing Kumagoro and setting him on his lap. NO FAIR!!! Kumagoro ALWAYS got the good ones na no da!

            "Umm…I still have the speakers na no da," I answered after a while, and I knew I was blushing, but Tatsuha ignored it and nodded. Before I think on it anymore I ran over to the back of the room, jumping the couch (since I COULD. Maybe THAT would show Kumagoro his place) on my way to grab the speakers.

            "You keep them all the way back here?" I blinked and turned around and watched Tatsuha jump the couch after me, dropping Kumagoro back on the couch. "Enjoy your vacation." I blushed again as he took the other speaker and smiled at me sweetly. "You only really need to make one trip now." Kumagoro or NO Kumagoro I liked him. He treated me…like a normal person. No one will ever understand how wonderful that is until they're famous and everyone treats them like they're different. I think and feel that same as most everybody else, except for my…eccentric…behavior. Another thing I liked about Tatsuha, he didn't treat me like I was messed up in the head or something, and I'm not. My fans just don't understand me as well as they think. "Put it here?" he asked and I nodded, sticking the other speaker on the other side of the TV.

            "Thank you." I'd never really LIKED anyone before, so this was a little odd for me. Sure, I'd had sex before, but I'd never really, you know, wanted them to stay around, before. Tatsuha nodded before worming his way between the speaker and the TV to plug it in.

            "Hand me the plug to yours," he asked after a while and I did as he said. I figured that I was going to treat him exactly the same as I did everyone else, since he did the same for me. I had no clue as to how to go about this, anyways; so acting natural was always a good rout to go. I was too shy to approach anyone in middle school or high school, and I guess I never got over it. I knew I was good-looking; I had no problem with that (I'd had MANY people tell me such). However, I didn't want Tatsuha to like me because I was…sexy…I wanted him to like me for who I was. I guess treating him naturally would make things easier anyway, so that was what I was going to do na no da.

            "You should have made Kumagoro do it na no da! He hasn't done anything since we got here but make trouble for you!" Tatsuha laughed and walked over to the couch, flopping down next to Kumagoro.

            "He wasn't any trouble. Right, Kumagoro?" I fumed and glared at Kumagoro as best I could. How dare he make Tatsuha stick up for him like that na no da! Just because Tatsuha was nice to him na no da!

            "Don't you lie for him na no da! I can see from the look on his face that he did something wrong na no da! He was lying to you about doing all the work na no da!" I screamed as I tried to snatch Kumagoro away from him, but he moved Kumagoro to safety.

            "Aww…You're going to hurt his feelings Sakuma-san. Apologize to him," he begged and I frowned, jumping on his lap and taking Kumagoro away.

            "Ryuichi! Call me Ryuichi na no da! And Kumagoro doesn't NEED apologizing to!" I demanded and Tatsuha blinked a couple times before crossing his arms over his chest.

            "I'm calling you Sakuma-san until you apologize to Kumagoro," he countered and I frowned. I didn't like it when my friends called me by my last name. It sounded so wrong to me. Then again, I'd lived in America three years where they only call you by last name when being all businessy. Friends didn't call you by last names at ALL there!

            "I'm sorry for telling Tatsuha the truth about your laziness na no da. Now call me Ryuichi na no da!" I demanded, bouncing a little to accent the point that I wanted him to call me Ryuichi NOW na no da! It was SO wrong for him to call me Sakuma-san. So very VERY wrong, especially since I LIKED him na no da!

            "Okay then, Ryuichi…" I covered his mouth before he squeezed a -san in there and smiled happily. There! That was SO much better! He licked my fingers almost immediately and I screamed and pulled them away, not wanting him to think they tasted good and try to eat them. He laughed at me softly and I couldn't help but to laugh a little as well.

            "SO…whatcha wanna do na no ka?" I asked as I rolled off his lap and bounced on the couch next to him, Kumagoro sitting on my lap and bouncing with me. "I have a LOT of movies but if you don't want to watch any of them we can go rent some na no da!" I cheered and Tatsuha looked around for a while before I pointed out where I kept my movies and he crawled over to the little shelf, opening it and sitting down in front of it to look inside. "I have games we can play, too na no da!" I cheered, running over to sit down next to him with Kumagoro, watching as he tried to choose something to watch. He was so cute like that, looking so concentrated and…well…like he was thinking REALLY hard na no da. I had to wonder if I ever looked like that, I didn't ever think really hard when I was looking into a mirror.

            "If we're going to play a game, we should watch something I've seen before. I don't want to miss anything," he said mostly to himself, but he looked over at me afterwards. "Why don't you pick something and I'll tell you if I've seen it or not?" he suggested and I nodded happily, shoving Kumagoro back into his arms (he could have a little bit of time with Tatsuha, too. I'm not THAT mean na no da) as I leaned over slightly to check and see what I had.

            "Have you seen this?" I asked as I pulled out one of the rarer of our concert videos. I was well aware that Tatsuha was a fan, so I thought he might want to see it in case he hadn't na no da. If not, then at least I was assured that we could listen to the music while we were playing and neither of us would dislike it.

            "I watched it over at my brother's," he stated and I smiled happily, closing the shelf and hopping over to the TV and VCR. I spun around on my heel and almost fell over when I realized we hadn't picked out a game yet.

            "Umm…the games are right above the movies na no da," I offered, setting the tape into the VCR and making sure it wasn't playing before I ran off and dragged the playing table into the living room, too. It was quite a stable table (hehe, rhyme), really, and I had a hard time storing it somewhere so that it didn't get in the way, so it doubled as a kitchen table. If I ever forgot to drag it back into the kitchen I just ate on the counter and made a mental note to move it back later na no da.

            Tatsuha had already picked out the game and had it set up on the table when I returned with the chairs, setting them on the opposite sides of the table so we could both see the TV as well as the other could. We couldn't both fit on one side of it, after all. I only lived with Kumagoro and me, we didn't NEED a big table na no da!

            "Is this alright?" he asked as I sat down across from him, remote sitting on my lap. I blinked a couple times before nodding happily. I didn't own any games I didn't like; I normally gave those away to my friends. He should have figured that much, I would have thought. "Do you think Kumagoro will want to play with us?" he asked as he sat down, setting Kumagoro on the free side of the table (the one that wasn't in front of the TV).

            "Nah. Kumagoro doesn't like to play this game na no da," I answered for him. Kumagoro tended to get bored with it easily, and never played it with me. I was kind of glad Tatsuha wanted to play it with me, I only got to play it when other people were over.

            "Okay then, I guess this is okay," he offered smiling and I looked at the TV instead of him, turning on the movie. I couldn't help it, I'm SHY na no da!

            The game was really easy. You had a bunch of cards (you played with two decks), and you put pieces on the space with that card (there were two of each). Even I got it fairly easily. Then again, I'd always had a sort of knack for games. All you had to do was get two rows of five with your pieces.

            "I move here then, five of hearts," Tatsuha stated happily as he moved my piece to the other five of hearts and set his own there. "Sequence number one for me," he stated triumphantly.

            "You can't do that na no da!" I screamed in defense, switching our pieces back. He game me a sort of funny look before moving his piece to sit next to mine on that card.

            "Then we can share the spot," he stated and I puffed out my cheek angrily. Tatsuha KNEW you weren't allowed to do that.

            "No na no da! You have to move it over there na no da!" I squealed, moving his piece back.

            "Where does it say we can't share the spot?" he asked, crossing his arms and smiling at me cockily.

            "In the rules na no da! Kumagoro agrees with me!"

            "I've never read in there that you can't do that."

            "They don't say you CAN na no da!" Tatsuha smiled and leaned over slightly, staring at me levelly. I shrunk back a little bit from the challenging look on his face.

            "Then why aren't you doing anything about it?" he asked softly and I picked up his piece and threw it at his shoulder, watching it bounce off his shoulder and clunk softly against the table. It wasn't MY fault he challenged me na no da, Kumagoro agreed with me. "Oh…so that's how you want to play it, huh?" he asked before sitting up and grabbing my piece, throwing it so it hit my chest before falling onto my leg.

            "No fair fighting back na no da!" I screamed as I picked up a couple more of his pieces and threw them back at him. He blinked a couple times before smiling evilly again and folding the board up to collect all the pieces in the center. This couldn't be good na no da!

            As he hovered the board above my head I squealed and grabbed Kumagoro to hold above my head as a shield, laughing happily as they bounced off of him and rained onto the floor next to me.

            "No fair taking hostages!" he screamed at me and I poured a couple of my other pieces into my hand to throw across the table at him. He ducked and grabbed his own bag, leaning over the table to dump the contents down my shirt.

            It continued like that for a while before we finally ended up on the floor laughing and being generally worn-out. Kumagoro had given up not too long into it and was lying on the floor next to the table with a couple of the pieces. After we finally stopped laughing I realized where I was and I'm SURE my face must have turned the same color as Kumagoro's. Oh! Maybe I'd end up growing ears if that happened TOO much na no da!

I was lying mostly on Tatsuha, head on his chest as he held onto my elbows gently. It was a little different, not having him all over me. That was all the other fans had really wanted na no da. It was nice to know that he really wanted to hang around with me and wasn't just doing it for sex. Kumagoro had never been around when it happened, and I was happy for that na no da. I hadn't really bothered with a fan (since I'd hadn't had a tour) since I'd come back to Japan from America with him and K.

            "I haven't had so much fun since I was nine," Tatsuha said after catching his breath, laughing a little bit afterwards, still. I smiled and sat up, not wanting to risk the chance of growing ears just in case Tatsuha didn't like them.

            "Why not na no ka?" I asked as I crawled over to grab Kumagoro, before crawling back to where he was now sitting on his elbows and watching the TV.

            "That's when Eiri left, and I didn't get to play with him anymore," he answered softly and I felt like crying for making him think about it. I dropped Kumagoro on the floor and wrapped my arms around him in a sort of hug. I didn't care if I grew ears anymore, I didn't want Tatsuha to be sad.

            I finally looked up at him when I felt his hand resting on my head gently, and couldn't move for anything at that smile he was giving me.

"Thanks, Ryuichi." I completely forgot about everything in favor of that moment, before I came back to reality and nodded, letting go of him and picking Kumagoro up silently. He blinked a couple times before laughing softly and sitting up fully, keeping his hand on top of y head.

            "So, that makes you…15, right? Or was it 16 na no ka?" I asked softly, toying with Kumagoro's ears and twirling them around my finger gently. I remember when Tohma left to take his brother to the States with him. That had been about six or seven years ago.

            "16," he stated softly, letting his hand slide off my head as he turned to watch TV again. I blinked before wrapping arms around him again and dropping Kumagoro into his lap. I hated it when my friends were sad, so I was ready to embarrass myself again in order for Tatsuha to be happy

            "Okay, then. I don't care how old you are. Actually, I really don't care how old I am, either na no da. Don't be sad about it. Being young is good, more time to have FUN!" I cheered happily, leaning my forehead against his back and smiling.

            "Yeah. It gives us more time to be friends." I smiled brightly at that and nodded, letting go of him and moving to sit next to him. We chatted for a while after that, about what we were both good at in school (what I'd been good at) and all that. It was fun, and for the first time since I can remember, I felt normal even in the company of someone else.

            I blinked a couple times as Tatsuha's talking cut short abruptly, and turned to see what was on the TV screen. I almost DIED of embarrassment when I caught sight of what it was. Of all the videos I COULD HAVE picked, I just HAD to pick this one na no da!

            There was me, on the TV screen, singing and smiling happily (like I almost always was) hands working freely to undo the few buttons that were done on my shirt.

            "No!" I squawked in embarrassment, burying my face in his shoulder to keep him from being able to see me. I was sure I was bright red by that point in time. It wasn't FAIR na no da! I didn't want Tatsuha to see that when I was around. I know I have a nice body, everyone tells me so, but STILL! Having a naked me on the screen while I'm sitting there if just as bad as stripping in real life.

            I blinked as the music shut off, releasing my death grip on Kumagoro. Tatsuha was laughing softly and an arm was wrapped around my shoulder comfortingly. "If you don't want me to watch it, I won't." I could have cried right then, I was so happy. Tatsuha UNDERSTOOD me na no da! He actually cared about my feelings and UNDERSTOOD me! Instead, however, I ended up pulling away from him quickly and smiling happily. I probably looked like an idiot, but I didn't care. This was the chance of a lifetime for me!

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YAYS!!! I finally finished this chapter! It probably sucks, since I finished it off at 3:47 AM, so I'll have to go back and rewrite it later. Oh well, at least I have the basics down to work on when I do pick it back up. If it IS decent, then I guess I'll just start in on the next chapter.


	4. The things I live for

Disclaimers: Does not and will not ever belong to me, unless someone wants to give it to me for Christmas. *Innocent smile*

Warnings: Um…once again attempted LIME ACTION!!! (It's best not to ask)

Notes: Umm…Yeah. It's a YukixShuichi interlude. Don't kill me for lack of Tatsuha and Ryuichi action.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed happily to myself as I lied on the floor of the living room I shared with Yuki, head rested on his shoulder comfortably as he continued to stared up at the ceiling. It was around ten PM, but neither of us had to work tomorrow, so we didn't have to worry about it. I lived for moments like these, the ones where we just lied around and held each other, it was nice. Yuki would never admit to it, but I think he liked it too. He even bought a bunch of cushions so we could lie together like this. I didn't like lying on the couch with other people; it made it really uncomfortable and squished.

            I ran fingers through his hair lazily and he did the same with mine. However, no matter how much I was enjoying every minute with Yuki, I still couldn't help but be a little uneasy. I'd just sort of ditched Tatsuha on Ryuichi and run back home. I should have at least told Ryuichi to call Tohma or something. I would feel bad if Tohma, Mika, Yuki, or whoever worried about him because I wanted to go home. Then again, why wouldn't I? It was the longest break I was going to get for a while, I wanted to enjoy it.

            "What's wrong?" I blinked a couple times and stopped moving while I thought about what was going on. "You're thinking about something, that's not normal. So, what's wrong?"

            "Just because I'm thinking why do you think something's wrong? I think sometimes, too," I asked quietly, not wanting to ruin things. Really, did he have to bring it up?

            "You don't bother dwelling too much over the good things, you tell me about one and then go on to another. So, what could have your attention so badly that you're actually dwelling on it?" I sighed and squirmed a little so I could get closer to Yuki, moving my head between his shoulder and neck, causing him to squirm a bit to get comfortable again.

            "Nothing, really. I was just wondering if I should have told Ryuichi to call Tohma and tell him Tatsuha's with him. We kind of forgot to call Tohma last night. I don't want him to worry." Yuki sighed and moved his arm to wrap around my waist instead.

            "I should have known. Tohma won't worry. Tatsuha's 16, he can take care of himself, Tohma knows that." I sighed and continued to play with Yuki's hair. Tatsuha'd taken a picture of us like this once, as a bribe, but I stole it from him. It's my favorite; Yuki looks so sweet and adorable in it. It's a one of a kind shot.

            "If I was gone for two days without calling, would you worry about me?" I asked softly. I wasn't sure if I wanted Yuki to hear me or not, so I'd be satisfied if I got an answer or not.

            "You'd call me if you were going to be ten minutes late." I pouted and tugged on his hair lightly. I'd grown into the habit of doing that when I was angry with him, but not enough to really be MAD, you know? "Yes," he finally answered and I smiled happily, hugging him as best I could without moving too much.

            "You're not just saying that because you think I want to hear it?" I asked, a little skeptical. Yuki gave into me sometimes only to get me to shut up, especially at times like this. I wanted a TRUTHFUL answer this time.

            "I'd worry about you," he answered after a while, tightening his arm around my waist. "Would you worry about me?" I smiled and nodded happily, kissing his cheek. I could have sworn he was smiling but I doubted it. Yuki just didn't smile like that; he had to be REALLY happy. "Then let's leave it at that then," he offered as I lowered back down to rest my head on his shoulder, his hand burying itself in my back pocket as we lied there, daydreaming. At least, I was daydreaming. Who knew what Yuki was thinking? "Shuichi?" I blinked a couple times before leaning up on my elbow's to look at his face. The moon was fairly full and the window was large enough that it lit the room considerably. At least, it was enough for me to see him, seeing as we had the lights off. "Tell me you love me," he almost ordered and I smiled, sitting up and moving to sit on his stomach. I hadn't gained all THAT much weight, but it was enough for me. However, I didn't think Yuki would notice it.

            "I love you and you're perfect and all I want in the world is to be near you…and to be able to continue singing forever," I finished truthfully. It didn't sound half as sweet with the little add on, but Yuki formed the smallest, most adorable smile on his face afterwards and I knew he understood. I couldn't lie to him, ever. I hope he knew that.

            "Thank you." he took my face in his hands and ran his thumbs over my cheek gently. It was wonderful, having him touch me so gently. It was like nothing else in the world mattered, or ever could again. I hadn't even noticed I'd been moving until his lips covered mine and my eyes slid shut softly on their own. I opened my mouth for him when he licked at my lips softly. It was perfect, slow and gentle. I knew he was watching me the whole time, but I couldn't open my eyes. I'd much rather enjoy things through the feeling, not the sight.

            "Yuki…" I couldn't help it, I was happy. There was NO describing just how perfect things were at that moment. He didn't say anything, just sat there. HE wasn't waiting for anything more, and he wasn't doing anything more. He was just looking at me, almost like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was my shirt on backwards or something? I looked normal when I looked in the mirror this morning.

            After a small bit of peaceful silence I pressed my face against his palm gently. "I love you so very much, I don't know what I'd do without you." I felt like crying, for no reason in particular. Things were going perfect, so why were the tears welling up when I spoke? Why was there that lump in my throat?

            "Me either…" he offered softly, almost a whisper as he wiped at the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes any second. "Don't cry." I didn't. The tears stopped and I just sat there with my face pressed against his palm. "I won't leave you so long as I can help it, Shuichi. You couldn't survive by yourself."

            "Could so," I offered just above a whisper and kissed him softly, covering his hands with mine. "I just wouldn't want to," I finished, as we pulled apart, smiling slightly. We stayed like that for a while, just staring at one another and kissing each other softly whenever we felt like it.

            Not to long after we'd started the phone rung and I sighed again, getting up to answer it. I was in no rush to answer the phone, but I did want to go back to what I'd been doing, so I bet I sounded a little bit rude when I answered the phone, crawling and sitting backwards on the couch to do so.

            "Hello?"

            "Hiya Shu-chan!" I heard the cheerful voice announce through the other end of the phone. Only ONE person…

            "Hello Ryuichi," I greeted and he giggled a little bit.

            "Hi. Um…I know it's late and I'm sorry since I probably woke you, since you sounded upset when you answered the phone na no da. But, I just wanted to tell you that Tatsuha is staying with me tonight. I already called Tohma and he said I should call Yuki and Shuichi to make sure they don't worry na no da." I nodded and glanced over my shoulder at Yuki, who was already standing and looking rather displeased about the phone call.

            "Nah, we were awake. Just a little bit busy, sorry. Thanks for calling, though." I could almost see Ryuichi nodding happily from the other side of the phone line.

            "No problem na no da! He's asleep right now and I think I'm going to go to bed too," he answered and something finally clicked in my head.

            "Ryuichi! Did you two…?

            "No na no da!" he cut me off, sounding almost panicked. "I wouldn't DO that na no da! Not to Tatsuha! He's being so very very NICE to me na no da. I really like him," he answered softly from the other end.

            "That's good to hear. He's a nice person. Um…Ryuichi, I have to go."

            "Okay. Talk to you later Shu-chan!" he cheered and I just nodded before hanging up the phone.

            "That was…the brat?"

            "No, Ryuichi. He wanted to tell us Tatsuha was staying over at his place, just in case we were worried about him," I answered, turning and sitting on the couch right ways. Yuki didn't really like it when I sat backwards on his couch, he said it ruined it. I blinked as he reached a hand out to me and took it slowly.

            "Come on," he stated and pulled me up off the couch, leading me to his room. I let him lead me there. I made a mental note to pick up the cushions later as we walked over them.

            I couldn't stop myself from giggling even the tiniest bit as he laid me down softly, hovering over me.

            "If he's not coming back here this time…" I smiled and reached up to run fingers through Yuki's hair softly. I loved the feel of it, for some reason. I'd have been afraid to touch him like this when we first met. Anything soft and sweet like this was forbidden to me at first.

            "…then we can do anything we want," I finished for him and he nodded, brushing my own hair back from my eyes. I blinked a couple times as something shined in the corner of my eye and I looked over at it, reaching for it when I found I couldn't see what it was in the lack-of light.

            "What's that?" he asked as I tried to examine it, flicking on a light so I could see it better. It was a picture (I'd figured that out a while ago) of what looked a little bit like Yuki in that photo he'd shown me and someone else.

            "A picture," I offered as I turned it to face him and I watched his face go blank before softening again, taking to picture away from me gently. "What's it of?" I asked after a short while, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention as he sat up.

            "Me and my brother when we were little. That used to be our hide-out when we were little," he pointed out as I stared at it. To me it looked like nothing more than a couple blankets draped over chairs, but I guess it must have been more than that. "We'd build it and pretend we were out in the middle of the wild. Surprised he still has this. Mika took it one day, she said we were being 'too cute' in there." I smiled happily and ran my finger along the frame, as close to Yuki's face as I could get.

            Sighing he placed the picture frame back where I'd found it and turned off the light, laying down next to me and wrapping an arm around my waist. "Can we just sleep tonight?" He asked softly and I nodded, making myself more comfortable and resting my head on his shoulder again. I was perfectly content the way I was.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Why is this here, you might ask? Well, EVERYONE needs their daily amount of YukixShuichi, right? Besides, I was hoping to torture you all with a bit of non-TatsuhaxRyuichi buildings. ^_^ I'm just evil like that. If you want more TatsuhaxRyuichi/RyuichixTatsuha you'd be better off reviewing. Reviews give me motivation to write faster…that and ukyou's threats… *Feels bad begging for them but is desperate for reviews*

And yes, I know this chapter is very short…


	5. I want to stay here, where you are

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. My mangas aren't even going to be here until the 25th

Notes: Back to Ryuichi and Tatsuha now. ^_^

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God

            I woke up slowly the following morning, not daring to open my eyes or move. I was still a little tired, but I was always tired in the mornings. It was just a part of who I was. Besides, it's not like I had an adventure-filled day ahead of me. Adventure just didn't call out to me so strongly.

            Opening my eyes I blinked as I realized I didn't recognize where I was. Gray colored ceiling and light blue walls, nowhere I recognized. The bed was as comfy as Eiri's, too. Funny, I recognized the scent well enough (although I couldn't place exactly from where) but I didn't know the room. Sitting up I looked around. I wasn't back at Tohma's or Eiri's, and I definitely wasn't home. But…last thing I remembered I was watching TV with Ryuichi…

            "Ah! I'm sorry na no da!" I blinked a couple times as an adorable, childish face panicked from where it was peering around the door. "I didn't mean to wake you up, but Kumagoro ran off again na no da!" He apologized, blushing slightly. So…was this Ryuichi's room? Or was it a guest room or something?

            "That's okay, I was already awake," I offered, sitting up fully and wiping sleep from my eyes, looking around the room. Sighing I leaned over and picked Kumagoro up from off the floor. "He's right here." Ryuichi's eyes lit up and he ran over and snatched Kumagoro away from me happily.

            "You scared me half to death na no da! Why didn't you just TELL me you were going to go say hi to Tatsuha!" he scolded it happily, hugging it tightly even as he did so. "So, what do you want to do today?" he asked after a while, looking energetic enough for the both of us.

            "Whatever you want to do," I answered after a slight pause. I had fun so long as Ryuichi was having fun. His smile was contagious, and it was nice to know that he wanted to hang out with me. Besides, he was always so much fun anyway.

            "Yay! I don't want to drop Tatsuha off with Tohma just yet na no da! Right, Kumagoro? You want him to stay, too, right?" he cheered happily, grinning like an idiot. Shit! I'd forgotten to tell Tohma where I was for the last two nights!

            "Umm…Ryuichi. Where's the phone? I need to tell Tohma where I've been." Ryuichi shook his head and sat down on the bed next to me.

            "I called him last night na no da. He said it was okay that you were here." With that he fell back onto the bed and lied down next to me, staring up at the ceiling. Kumagoro was sitting on his chest and he was playing with his arms as he hummed softly to himself. His hair was spread out all over the pillow, his face, and neck, and he looked so perfectly innocent and contented.

            "So, what was it you wanted to do?" I asked as I brushed a bang back from where it had stuck to his eyelashes. His hair was so very soft, I loved to touch it. I couldn't even begin to understand why.

            "I dunno na no da. Ryuichi's still sleepy." There it went again. I'd noticed in the brief time that I'd known him that every once in a while he'd refer to himself in third person. It was adorable, and that was giving it less than due credit.

            "So's Tatsuha, but Tatsuha is up and half-awake so Ryuichi'd better be up and half-awake, soon, too," I teased and he pouted up at me.

            "Ryuichi wants to sleep. The couch is nice for sitting on but I couldn't sleep on it last night na no da." I blinked a couple times before it all set in. I was in Ryuichi's bed, halfway under HIS sheets, with him lying down next to me. This was heaven, except for the fact that darling little Ryuichi had been forced to sleep on the couch last night. I guess I must have fallen asleep there and Ryuichi dragged me in here. I wasn't worth that much trouble.

            "Fine then, you can go back to sleep. Me and Kumagoro will watch movies until you wake back up again," I offered, taking Kumagoro away from him gently and covering him as best I could with the covers before getting up and making my way to the door to leave.

            "Don't I get a goodnight kiss na no ka?" he asked and I was facing him in a second, staring at him. He was mostly under the covers now, and all I could see was his eyes and above.

            "It's daytime, Ryuichi," I offered, a teasing smile set firmly in place.

            "Then can I have a goodnap kiss?" I laughed and walked back over to him, pulling the covers down from over his face. He was blushing deep red, and I had to try hard not to laugh at how cute he looked.

            "Whoever heard of a goodnap kiss?" I asked as I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Night, Ryuichi."

            "I thought it was morning na no da." I smiled at that and nodded.

            "You're right. Morning, Ryuichi," I stated before making my way towards the door again.

            "Tatsuha?"

            "What?" I asked without bothering to turn around.

            "Do you…want to…have sex with me na no ka? If that's what you want, then…" I shook my head and clung to Kumagoro tightly.

            "I definitely wouldn't mind it, but that's not what I'm here for. Don't worry about it, okay?" I turned to look back at Ryuichi and he smiled brightly and nodded, wiping the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes away.

            "Morning Tatsuha!" He cheered before lying back down and closing his eyes. I laughed softly as I closed the door behind me, making my way to the couch and lying down. Ryuichi was right; it wasn't all that good of a bed.

            After a couple unsuccessful moments of trying to fall asleep on the couch I decided that some TV was in order. I could see why Ryuichi was still so tired. Then again, it wasn't like I was really complaining. He slept, and then he was more energetic. I didn't mind having a little of my time with him wasted if it made the rest of it better.

            I sighed and sat Kumagoro on my lap to watch TV with me. "Do you think there's something wrong with Ryuichi?" I asked and Kumagoro shrugged in responses, staring at me with unblinking beady eyes. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm loosing it. I'm talking with Kumagoro," I said to no one in particular, staring at the blank white ceiling. I hated white ceilings, they always made my eyes hurt, looking like they were getting closer or farther away every once in a while.

            Ryuichi woke up about two hours later, but I didn't mind. That was just long enough for me to get through the concert video I'd been watching. A fanboy's not a fanboy unless he always gets his daily dosage of Nittle Grasper concert videos.

            "You're still here na no ka!" Ryuichi half asked half cheered as he walked out of the bedroom, running over to me and sitting down on the couch next to me. He was smiling ever so brightly and was talking to Kumagoro, who was sitting on my lap, about some dream he'd had. I could only pick out a few words of it, since they were talking in English. "So, what do you want to do?" he asked after a while talking with Kumagoro, looking up at me. I thought we'd discussed this earlier.

            Before I could answer his head snapped to the side and he glanced at the TV screen, smiling happily. "I have an idea!" He cheered, bouncing up and running over to the VCR and turning it off. I got up to help him move the equipment but he stopped me and made me go into the kitchen and wait for him, and to PROMISE not to look, so I obeyed, taking Kumagoro with me.

            It was a fairly normal kitchen. Bigger than most peoples', but about the same size as Eiri's. A normal person would have been alarmed at the wasted space, but I was used to it by now. It was plainly decorated, too. Stone counters and cream walls, a couple marks here and there that had once been attempted back into cleanliness. Whether by Ryuichi, Tohma, Noriko, or someone I didn't know, I had not a clue. Cabinets were mounted on the wall (wood) and a toaster shoved into one corner, and an unused coffee pot next to it. A large wood table sat in the middle of the room, and the floors were dark brown tiled, with a small red-brown rug near the door, where I was standing. It was actually a rather relaxing place.

            It was almost a half hour later when I heard Ryuichi's cheerful voice in the kitchen, saying I could come out, but with my eyes closed, only. So I stepped out of the kitchen and immediately felt a hand cover my eyes.

            "No cheating na no da! This way, follow me!" He cheered, grabbing my hand with his free hand and leading me to sit on the couch. "Don't open your eyes until I tell you to na no da!" he cheered and I heard him run a little bit, obviously getting some last minute things ready. "Okay, you can open your eyes, na no da!" I just about died when I opened my eyes; I DEFFINITELY hadn't been expecting that!

            Ryuichi was standing in the middle of the room in a short, black, sleeveless jacket (could it still be called a jacket?), with a short gray tank top under it, loose blue jeans, and a few necklaces and bracelets. He was GORGEOUS, and his eyes were shining happily. The speakers were set up behind me in the two corners of the room, and he was wearing a hands-free mike and smiling like he had everything he ever wanted.

            "Do you like?" he asked shyly, tugging a little at his pants. I could only nod. Having him stand there in the sexiest outfit, with the world's brightest smile, and a small blush over his cheeks, I could only be amazed. "This is what I was supposed to wear last night. Tohma doesn't want to reschedule the concert, so…I figured I'd at least let YOU see it!" He cheered happily and I could NOT believe it. Sakuma Ryuichi was going to sing live, for ME, at HIS house! If this was what I got for all my years stuck training under the old man, I'd do it for the rest of my life without another complaint.

            I finally nodded a small nod and Ryuichi smiled even brighter, grabbing a remote from his pocket. "Sorry all the music has to be from CD, but I can't get Tohma and Noriko to come na no da," he apologized and I shook my head.

            "I don't mind at all…" Ryuichi nodded and started the music, bright blue eyes sliding shut as he waited for his part to come up. However, when next they opened I was surprised they were still that large innocence, and not the small, severe eyes that stared at you through the TV.

            He was absolutely amazing, dancing around happily to every beat and singing with everything he had. It lasted a good hour and a half to two hours, before he finally turned off the CD player and dragged himself over to the couch to sit next to me, leaning his head back and panting. He was drenched, and looked fairly worn out, too.

            When his eyes opened again he looked over at me and smiled slightly, sweat-soaked strands of hair all falling over to one side of his face as he stared at me.

            "Did you enjoy that na no ka?" he asked barely above a whisper, and between heavy breaths. Even my cheeks grew fairly hot at the look he was giving me, and the other way his words could have been taken. Anyone who happened to pick up on the wrong part of the conversation might have thought wrongly about the whole going-ons. I didn't really care, though. He was so perfect, it was indescribable, and I wasn't going to do anything to destroy that very moment.

            "Very much," I answered honestly and his whole face lit up.

            "Good. Give me a minute to catch my breath and then we can do something else na no da," he almost ordered, tilting his head to rest it on my shoulder, one hand curling around the bottom of my sleeve as he calmed down.

            It only took him another four or five minutes to catch his breath before he jumped back up again and bounced happily from one foot to the other in front of me, jacket sliding off one shoulder slightly with every bounce he made.

            "I'm sorry to make you wait again, but I need to shower and change. Do you mind na no ka? Kumagoro'll keep you company." He offered as he continued hopping from foot to foot.

            "Not at all." So there I ended up waiting some more for him, listening to the somewhat relaxing sounds of the shower in the background as I tilted my head back and tried to imagine what Yuki, Shuichi, Noriko, Tohma, and Mika were doing at the moment. It was something I always did to occupy my time. It was kind of fun, because you had to really know the person in order to get anything near correct, but you're almost always wrong.

            "Is Tatsuha dead na no ka?" Ryuichi asked as he swiped his hand back and forth over my eyes, staring down at me innocently. I could hardly believe he was any older than me sometimes, and that was great. Who needed to be reminded of the bad things? I didn't like Ryuichi because of his age, unlike some girls I knew, but because of who he was. Why should it matter how old he was?

            "I've been dead. I'm just lacking blood right now," I whispered softly, grabbing his shoulders. My family had always called me a vampire when I was little because, well, they said I had vampire teeth. Why not use that to MY advantage?

            "Ah! Don't eat me na no da!" he screamed in his defense, squirming to get away and laughing.

            "Fine," I reached over and picked up Kumagoro, tracing my fingers around where his neck would be. "I guess he'll have to do…" Ryuichi screamed and ran to try and protect his friend, but I ended up with both of them in the end.

            "You can't eat us both na no da! We're ALIENS, right Kumagoro? Our blood doesn't work!" He screamed as I looked at him.

            "Really? Well, that's too bad. Looks like I'll have to torture you both to death, then." Ryuichi screamed as I ticked him slightly, trying to cover his stomach protectively.

            "Not that na no da!" I smiled and continued to 'torture' him, always finding another open area to tickle him without a problem. "Ack! Kumagoro, help!" He screamed between giggles, reaching over for his friend but finding him just out of reach of him. I smiled and stopped tickling him for a bit.

            "Dead yet?"

            "Very much so," he answered happily, smiling just as brightly as he had been after the concert. "Tatsuha's so much FUN na no da!" He cheered happily, tilting his head back to glance at Kumagoro and squirming a little bit down the couch to grab him. His shirt was still pulled above his pants line, showing off a bit of his stomach, and his hair was a mess. He didn't seem to care, though, and neither did I. "What time is it?" he asked me after a while and I grabbed my watch from my pocket (Ryuichi had moved it next to me on the couch, from where I'd left it on the table the night before, when he'd been moving things for his 'concert.')

            "Almost twelve, why?" He sat up and pulled his shirt down, finger-combing his hair again quickly.

            "Wanna go out for lunch with me and Kumagoro before we drop you back off? It'll be fun na no da," he offered and I nodded my agreement, being with Ryuichi was ALWAYS fun. "Good! I know a place not too far form here that's really good," he offered, finishing with his hair.

            "Okay then, if we're going to go, let's go." Ryuichi nodded and stood up after me, following me to and out the door before turning around and locking it behind him, Kumagoro perched on his shoulder.

            "It's a really nice place, and they all know me there," he offered as reassurance as we went on our way, sliding sunglasses onto his face and skipping along happily. Maybe if I begged Tohma he'd let me stay with Ryuichi…if that was okay with Ryuichi, of course. I didn't want to have to leave, and Ryuichi didn't seem to mind my company. Then again, there's a big difference between a day and a couple weeks.

            It was only around a three-minute walk, and Ryuichi talked the whole time, so I didn't even realize we were there at first.

            "Ah! Good afternoon Ryuichi. Who's you're friend?" a young girl greeted as she walked up to us, smiling brightly. Ryuichi smiled as well and slid off his sunglasses, hooking them on the waist of his pants.

            "This is Tatsuha na no da!" He cheered and she turned to face me, still smiling.

            "Good afternoon, Tatsuha."

            "Good afternoon," I offered in return, smiling a little myself.

            She led us to our table and handed me a menu. "You're making my job hard today, Ryuichi," she stated conversationally as I looked. The place hadn't looked very busy, so she had some time.

            "Sorry, but Tatsuha stayed with me last night and I wanted to show him this place na no da."

            "Ohh…our little Ryuichi finally find himself a date?" I couldn't help but glance up at Ryuichi at that.

            "No! We're…just friends na no da." He was blushing and staring at the table as he spoke and I just smiled and continued to look for something to eat.

            "Well then, when you do find a date, bring them here. We'll all want to meet them," she stated and Ryuichi nodded.

            "How could I NOT na no ka?" he asked and she laughed, patting Ryuichi's head.

            "Nice to hear." I finally ended up just getting a burger and a pop. I wasn't all that hungry, anyway. Ryuichi gave me a funny look and made Kumagoro do the same.

            "You're not going to try anything else?" he asked and I shrugged.

            "Not today. I'm not really all that hungry." He shrugged and looked satisfied with that.

            "Maybe you, me, and Tohma can come by here for dinner, then. A few of them know Tohma, too. That is, if you want to na no da." I smiled and nodded.

            "Of course I want to. I mean, that would just give us more time to hang out before I go back to Tohma's," I offered and he nodded slowly.

            "Umm…Tatsuha?" I just sat and waited for him to finish. He knew I could hear him. Besides, he looked too cute, concentrating so very hard on what he was trying to say and blushing the shade of Kumagoro. "Do you think…that you could stay with me? It gets kind of lonely sometimes with just me and Kumagoro na no da."

            "I'd love to, if Tohma will let me." Ryuichi smiled brightly and made his way around the table to hug me tightly.

            "Yay! I'll beg Tohma to let you stay! Sleepovers are always so much fun na no da!" All right! So now I had half of the permission I needed to stay with Ryuichi until I had to go back home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I know this chapter seriously sucks, but I wrote most of it in a daze, and around 2 in the morning, so I wasn't thinking as clearly as I had been for some of my other chapters. Oh well, I guess it'll have to do. I don't want to have to go back and rewrite everything at the moment.

Hehe, Yubiwa is a good song to write sap to.


	6. Go for the gold

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me, and I still wish it did.

Notes: I'm going to throw another point of view in now, so I can watch both characters without seeing into either of them.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I sat down in the lobby of NG studios, brushing blonde hair out of my eyes as I waited. I didn't allow myself many breaks, and I acknowledged less of them. However, things were going well, and I didn't see the need to overwork myself. Besides, Ryuichi had said he'd try to run Tatsuha by during my break. Therefore, I was relaxing in the lobby, hoping they would show soon. I didn't like waiting.

            I traced a hand over my cheek where Mika had hit me the night before. It wasn't like I'd WANTED Tatsuha to 'disappear,' but I knew he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He knew enough people around here that he could have gone to, and he had enough money on him for a hotel. Mika hadn't agreed with me though.

            Honestly, she babied them both. No wonder they treated her ungratefully. No one wants to have someone hovering over their shoulder and telling them right from wrong constantly. You had to learn some things by myself. I wouldn't dare mention that to her, however. She would kill me, and I didn't want to make her angry anyway. Either that, or she would cry and call herself a bad sister. I didn't want her to do that, either. I think it's a curse that we'll never understand women. I'd give up my entire fortune to understand them, sometimes.

            "GOOD AFTERNOON TOHMA NA NO DA!" I didn't even flinch as Ryuichi greeted me in the loudest voice he could manage from the doorway. Tatsuha had taken the precaution to plug his ears, but he still looked a little dazed. I think that was fair enough punishment for him for the day. No one around us bothered to see what was going on, either, they were so used to it. Ryuichi and Shuichi never entered the building in a necessarily quiet fashion.

            "Good afternoon, Ryuichi. I take it you're doing well?" Ryuichi nodded happily and pointed at Tatsuha, who was standing two or so feet away from him, clutching Ryuichi's Kumagoro protectively. Funny, like he thought the stuffed toy was going to keep me from lecturing him on his behavior…if I'd WANTED to lecture him, that is? I'd leave that up to Mika, though. She was better at it.

            "Tatsuha and me played games ALL last night, and then this morning he let me sing for him since he couldn't see the concert, and we played some more and then Kumagoro and I took him to that restaurant over by my house where everyone knows us, and…" Ryuichi rambled on happily, trying his best to tell everything that had happened since last I'd seen him. It was one of his high points when you missed him, unless you had a headache or was at your wits end. Then it was just plain annoying.

            "Tatsuha, Mika was worrying herself sick the other night when you didn't call. I don't expect a reason from you, I know you don't have one, but Mika will want one when you get home. I suggest you think of a good one."

            "Shuichi and Eiri were engaged in other, more interesting activities than calling my overprotective sister to tell her I was watching my brother do it on the floor with his boyfriend?" He asked and Ryuichi looked up from where he'd been tracing patterns on the floor tile and blinked up at him innocently.

            "I wouldn't suggest telling her the truth today, Tatsuha. You might want to think of something she won't get offended by." He shrugged and Ryuichi stood up from the floor. Damn, couldn't Tatsuha have shut up instead of making things worse for himself?

            "You…you WATCHED Shu-chan and your brother…?" Tatsuha looked panicked for a moment before sighing and handing Kumagoro back to Ryuichi.

            "They were just making out, but yeah. I watched them for a little bit."  He was probably watching them until he got caught, but I wasn't going to say anything to depress Ryuichi farther. That would have been a bad thing. Ryuichi was speaking so highly of him over the phone last night, I didn't want to ruin his happiness.

            "You let your family worry about you to watch Shu-chan and Yuki-san na no ka…" Shit. I was going to have to have a LONG talk with Tatsuha about what to do and what NOT to do around Ryuichi after we got home. He should have known better than to say anything so rude about Mika and underhanded of himself.

            "I'm sorry. I would have called, but it slipped my mind. Shuichi's pretty. I was too preoccupied with having Eiri utter curses and threats at me and having Shuichi order me around like a mother before that, and I forgot to call by then. Mika would have come to pick me up, and Eiri would have wanted her to. I wanted to spend some time with them, too. Even if I was just watching and hoping." He was slowly stroking Ryuichi's hair gently, probably so Ryuichi couldn't even feel it, as he spoke. The strands were just barely moving against his hand.

            I could have sworn Ryuichi was going to run out of the building in tears, but instead he took a step forward and leaned his head on Tatsuha's shoulder slightly. I couldn't hear what he said, it was so soft, but Tatsuha wrapped his arms around his shoulders and apologized again.

            "Ryuichi, Tatsuha, my break's almost over and I'd like to run Tatsuha to my house before I go back to work." Ryuichi turned around almost immediately, Tatsuha's arms still wrapped loosely around his shoulders.

            "Tohma! Can Tatsuha stay with me, please? You said he's going back home in a couple weeks so until then can he stay with me na no ka! I'll take good care of him na no da! Kumagoro'll even help!" I blinked a couple times at that. Ryuichi had just seemed near tears, now he was begging for Tatsuha to stay with him. I don't think I'd ever understand Ryuichi, either. I sighed and motioned to Tatsuha for him to follow me. I was going to have to see what Tatsuha's intents were before I agreed or disagreed.

            Once we were far enough down the hall that Ryuichi couldn't hear us and would have trouble seeing us clearly, I motioned for Tatsuha to stand in front of me, crossing my arms and staring at him with obvious disapproval.

            "What are you expecting to gain out of this? I know it wasn't Ryuichi's idea."

            "Actually, Ryuichi brought it up." I'm sure my eyes widened because Tatsuha looked like he'd discovered the answer to the meaning of life or something grand like that. Sometimes Tatsuha could really grate o n my nerves when he did things like that. I'd thought Ryuichi had sounded happy over the phone, but he must really think something of Tatsuha to let him stay with him. Especially after our little scene in the lobby.

            "Alright then. Mika's probably not going to be happy about this, so don't be surprised if she drags you back to our place in a couple days, or makes you stay with us." He nodded and crossed his arms as well, staring at me seriously, a challenging girn slowly working its way onto his face.

            "I'm not going to try anything. I want to hang out with him and know more about him. I want to like him for who he is, it's not like it's hard. Give me a chance." I sighed and nodded. I could see it, strangely enough. Ryuichi was too sweet a person to take advantage of, once you took the time to know him. Maybe even Tatsuha could stop being such a…teenager…for him. I couldn't believe the amount of times he'd been used in the past. You'd think that someone would want to stay with him.

            "So…can Tatsuha stay with me na no ka?" Ryuichi asked as we walked back to where he was waiting, stopping the game he had been playing with Kumagoro to stare up at us. Tatsuha nodded and gave him a thumbs-up, and Ryuichi was immediately latched onto my arm. "Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much, Tohma!" he cheered happily and I felt like I was going to go deaf for a while.

            "Come on, we have to get Tatsuha's things," I offered, patting his head gently before trying to pry my arm free of his grip.

            "Okay!" he cheered, scooping Kumagoro up from where he'd dropped him on the floor and dusting him off as he turned back to face us. "Let's go na no da!" He cheered happily, skipping backwards out of the doors and waiting for us on the other side.

            "I expect for you to be on your best behavior," I stated flatly as we made our way outside, following the over-eccentric Ryuichi.

            "Ryuichi wouldn't like that."

            "Don't speak about him so informally, you've only known him two days, and you know what I meant." Honestly, he didn't even attach proper respect to Ryuichi's name where it was needed. Mika needed to teach him some more on manners and politeness.

            "He makes me call him Ryuichi, and I know that I knew what you meant." I should have figured as much. Ryuichi didn't like formalities between people he considered friends. It was just his way. Names and nicknames where more to his liking.

            "Fine." I sighed as I unlocked the doors of my car, letting Ryuichi hop in before I dared try, Tatsuha following quietly behind me. "If you want to drop him back off in a couple of days, Ryuichi, don't worry about it. We won't hold it against you," I said as I left the parking lot and headed down the road to my place.

            "Gee, thanks," Tatsuha snapped back from behind me, and I could see him glaring at me through the rearview mirror. "I feel so loved," he finished bitterly, sinking further down in the seat, still glaring at me. I knew it was all sarcasm and an act, I'd known him since he was little. Ryuichi, however, was easily drawn into it.

            "Aw, don't be sad, Tatsuha! Kumagoro and I wouldn't want to get rid of you for a second na no da!" Ryuichi cheered from next to me, turning around to face Tatsuha. He perked up a bit at that and Ryuichi hit me in the arm with Kumagoro. "Leave Tatsuha alone na no da!" I sighed and gave into my fate. Dealing with Mika when we got back home wasn't going to be a pleasant event, judging from the worried pacing she'd been doing last night before Tatsuha called, and the way she seemed to very on edge before I went to sleep. I could only hope she'd gone out shopping.

            However, as I pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex we had no such luck. Mika was standing outside the door and waiting, arms crossed. She didn't seem pleased as I stepped out of the car, but she didn't seem as mad as she had last night.

            "Mika-san!" Ryuichi screamed as soon as he got the door open, running over to her and hugging her tightly. "I haven't seen you in a long time na no da. What's up?" Mika cast him a short glance before Tatsuha stepped out of the car and she fixed him with her best glare. "Mika-san?" She didn't remove her eyes from Tatsuha for an instant as she rested a hand on Ryuichi's head.

            "Not now, Ryuichi-san. I need to talk with my brother." Ryuichi blinked a couple times before nodding and backing away. "Tatsuha, why didn't you call us the other night when you were staying with Eiri, or when you were at Ryuichi-san's, for that matter?"

            "I fell asleep after I changed at Eiri's, I was so happy to get out of the rain I forgot to call, I'm sorry." She sighed in relief and reached out to him.

            "Teens will be teens, I guess," she stated softly and Tatsuha smiled a little bit. "I take it Ryuichi-san tagged along for a reason?" she asked as she found Ryuichi attached to her again, running fingers through his hair gently. Mika and Ryuichi got along fairly well, in my opinion. She was always willing to deal with a hyperactive child, and he always liked someone who would hold him that he knew wouldn't take advantage of him.

            "I wanted to know if Tatsuha could stay with me na no da. Only until he had to go back home, so we can hang out some more. We had SOOOOOOOOO much fun last night I want to do it again and again na no da!" Mika sighed and motioned her head towards the door.

            "Tatsuha, go pack up your things and change into your own clothes. I'll run those by Eiri tomorrow," she ordered, still running fingers through Ryuichi's hair. "Don't wear him down too much, Ryuichi-san," she joked after Tatsuha ran inside to get his things.

            "I won't na no da!" he cheered happily and she laughed softly, looking up at me.

            "Tohma, do you want me to take them back to Ryuichi-san's or can you?" she asked me after a short while, and Ryuichi turned around to face me as well, blinking cutely.

            "I have to get back to work now, actually. Would you mind taking them back?" She shook her head and hugged Ryuichi tightly, who seemed both disappointed and happy.

            "Never. Come on Ryuichi, let's go wait in the car for Tatsuha," she ordered him like a mother orders a child around. She was good at those sorts of things. I smiled as Ryuichi ran over to her car and jumped into the back seat this time, bouncing on the seat and waiting for Tatsuha happily, talking to Kumagoro about it (I could hear him through the open windows of Mika's car). Ryuichi might have actually found what he wanted this time, and it could serve a valuable lesson for Tatsuha as well.

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ALRIGHT! That was harder than I thought it would be, but it's DONE and I can go back to my main characters!!!!!!!!! It was HARD to write as Tohma, especially since he wasn't doing much and it ended up seeming bland. Therefore, I honestly apologize for this chapter. The next one will have to make up for it.


	7. I don't want to be without you

Disclaimers: Gravitation doesn't belong to me, and seeing as no one wants to give me the rights for Christmas, it never will be mine.

Notes: There is a BAD lemon starting this chapter, I was writing it for practice. If you want to read it, you can e-mail me at ChibiChibiAkane5@aol.com or I'll EVENTUALLY get around to posting it on my live journal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/psychogurlie

~shows it's something they're reading~

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I made my way out of the bathroom carefully; tossing the brush I'd been using behind me and hearing it clank against the sink. Perfect. I'd spent longer than usual in there today, having bothered to dry my hair as well. I didn't like sleeping with my hair wet, and I knew either way Shuichi would be asleep when I returned. I'd also dug through the laundry and found a decent pair of pants I could sleep in so I wouldn't have to bother with finding something later.

            Walking over to the couch I sat down next to his peacefully sleeping form, buried under the skimpy little thing he calls a blanket. I would have thrown the damn thing out and given him another one, but I was sure he wasn't keeping something that was barely useful around for no reason. Or maybe he was, but I wasn't going to ask him about it. I was curious, yes, but there was no way I was going to let Shuichi know that I wondered about him and his habits when I was bored.

            I sighed and reached over to tuck a piece of hair behind his ear, moving it out of way of his face. He was curled up on his side and smiling happily in his sleep, hands curled near his cheek, a small corner of his blanket curled in one of them.

            I continued to stroke his hair slowly as I sat next to him, enjoying the feel of it between and against my fingers. His hair was always so soft. Even when he was sick, although not nearly as much as when he was healthy. A small sticky-note on the table caught my attention as I continued to stroke his hair, and I peeled it off easily.

            ~Hey Yuki! You took FOREVER in there so I just went to sleep. I really did try to wait for you, but I couldn't make it. Oh well, that's okay, I guess. I don't mind, since that was REALLY great! You're so wonderful; sometimes I wonder why you put up with me. Oh yeah! I beat Tetris while I was waiting for you! I'm not kidding, either. Why don't you try it, it's fun? Well, anyway, night Yuki! Love you (But you already knew that)!~

            I couldn't help but smile as I crumpled the little note up and set it back on the table. He really was sweet; I couldn't understand why he stayed around me. He could have so many better lovers than myself, people who showed them how much they cared. And he thought he was the lucky one of us.

            I leaned over and kissed his forehead softly, moving my hand to caress his cheek. "I'm sorry I can't do anything more for you," I whispered softly as I stood up, staring down at him. He was even more beautiful when he was asleep. He always looked so peaceful and content, and the light filtering in through the window was making his hair and skin look even softer.

            I bent over and picked him up carefully, not wanting to wake him up. He moved a little bit when I first picked him up, but other than that he was still as I carried him into my bedroom. If he'd ask if he could sleep with me, I'd say yes, but I wasn't going to suggest it. I couldn't let him see that side of me. The side of me that needed him so much I was willing to do anything for him.

            After a little bit of trouble I finally got him covered and on the bed, and I crawled over from the other side of the bed to look at him, to make sure I hadn't disturbed him. Nope, he was still sound asleep, but this time he was lying on his back, arms hidden underneath the covers.

            I leaned over and pressed a million and two kisses to his soft skin gently, over his eyes, forehead, cheeks, mouth, and hair. He shifted a bit after I was finished, mouth opening slightly to mutter my name as he turned back onto his side, facing me. I allowed him another smile and a kiss to his forehead before I slid off the bed and left the room, shutting the door softly behind me. Sure, I wanted to stay in there with him, but I wasn't tired enough to go to sleep, and there were still some things I figured I could get done before I went to bed.

            First, I picked our clothes up from where they'd been discarded, shifting through the pockets for anything left there and dropping it on a clean corner of the table. Shuichi knew the check there for his things. I shoved my own things into my pockets before I took the pile and moved it to the bathroom, dropping it into the corner we used for dirty clothes. Next I picked up the little note he left me and discarded it in the trash. There was no need for me to keep it around.

            After that was done I sat down on the couch and just watched the going-ons outside the window. True, it was nothing more than your ordinary night sky, but it was nice to look at every once in a while. I remember playing around with my family when I was little. Mika would always tell me and Tatsuha all about the constellations and the stories behind them, and she'd always be sure to show us our star sign when it came around, pointing it out in the sky for us and telling us what it symbolized.

            It wasn't long at all before I got bored of staring at the sky and missing my past. There were times I wish I could be so close to my family again, but I wasn't going to think about that and let it get to me right now. Somehow, curiosity got the best of me and I picked up the little machine Shuichi'd been playing earlier, examining it. It was a sheer purple, and fairly light, with the game sticking up out of the back. Flipping on the light I decided I might as well give it a try. After all, it couldn't be THAT hard if Shuichi could beat it. However, the first challenge was to find the 'on' switch, which was located conveniently UNDER the game.

            I decided to start right away on the highest level, just to see what I could do. It wasn't long before I died. How the hell did Shuichi do this sort of thing? It wasn't as easy as I'd been expecting.

            "Wow, I didn't think you'd actually play it." I jumped as I heard Shuichi's voice from in front of me and nearly dropped the game. I didn't though, which was probably a good thing. Shuichi was standing in front of me and smiling happily, wearing a simple pair of jeans and a button up shirt, but he hadn't bothered to button it.

            "Neither did I," I answered honestly, handing the game back to him. He smiled and took it, crawling onto my lap and sitting down, leaning his head against my shoulder. "Comfortable brat?" I asked as he sighed softly, free hand curling up against my chest.

            "Very much so." We sat like that for a while. I held him softly to me and listened to him breath, the only noise in the entire house. I was almost positive he was asleep when he sighed again and sat back up, leaning forward to kiss me softly. "Why'd you leave me in there alone?"

            "I didn't feel like sleeping. Is that alright with you?" He smiled slightly and nodded; taking a look at the game he was holding in his hands, blinking a couple times.

            "I would have figured you'd beat me at this. Man, you're really not good at this game, are you?" he inquired, looking very confused. I glared at him and he smiled brightly, turning around and sitting down again. I sighed and spread my legs so he could sit down on the actual couch, and he did, leaning his head back to rest on my chest. He loved it when I let him sit with me, sleep with me, whatever. I didn't understand it. I didn't find anything special in sitting close to someone else, but Shuichi was different than I was, so I guess I shouldn't really have expected to understand it.

            He was playing for quite a while, and I watched him over his shoulder. He was just pressing at a stupid little button and the little arrow things, and made it look so simple. He finally lost at around 160 lines, and he dropped the game into his lap as the little spaceship took off on the screen.

            "I told you I could beat it," he bragged, stretching himself to kiss my cheek. "Admit it, I can do SOME things right, and I'm not all THAT stupid." I picked the game up from where it was sitting and typed in his name for him before dropping it back into his lap. He immediately picked it up and checked the screen, and I smiled satisfactorily to myself as he turned and glared at me.

            "I am not an idiot!"  A couple precious seconds of silence passed before Shuichi pouted and added an "I'm not THAT much of an idiot, then." I allowed him a tiny smile before I leaned over and kissed his cheek softly.

            "That's better. You're not that much of an idiot, okay?" Shuichi seemed confused for a couple seconds before nodding happily, turning off his game and setting it on the table next to his things. "Want to go off to bed?" I asked as he turned back around and leaned his head back on my chest, closing his eyes. He nodded slowly and I squeezed myself out from between him and the couch as gracefully as on could manage. He lied back down on the couch and pulled his blanket back over him as soon as I was off of it.

            He screamed in surprise as I picked him up from the couch, smiling up at me happily after he'd calmed down a little. I don't think he was expecting that. "I didn't drag you all the way in here so you could sleep on the couch, brat." I felt his arms wrap around my neck as I kicked open the door with my foot, and I dropped him onto the bed harshly.  I wasn't going to play into his little fantasy so easily; I was still a living, breathing person with a sense of PRIDE, dammit! He didn't seem too happy with that end of the deal.

            "Yuki!" He immediately attached himself as best he could to my arm as I lied down, burying my face in the pillow and trying to ignore him. I heard Shuichi grunt in frustration as he hit my arm after a while, letting go of me and giving in. He should have known I wasn't going to pamper him if he demanded it. I smiled into the pillow and reached an arm over to wrap around his waist, pulling him as close to me as I could manage.

            I felt his hand on mine almost immediately, and his other hand was resting next to my face, I could feel a couple strands of hair move under the weight. I moved an arm up to rest my head on as I slept, but before trying to sleep I glanced over at him. He was looking over at me and smiling, running his fingers back and forth over my hand as his other hand played with a small strand of my hair. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to go to sleep. I knew it was going to take me a while, it always did, but that was fine by me. I wasn't in a rush to go to sleep anyway.

            It couldn't have been a half hour after first trying to fall asleep when I felt Shuichi unwrap my hand from around his waist, and take it between both hands. "This is nice and all, but I know you're not going to get any sleep like this. Night Yuki," he whispered softly, pressing a kiss to my fingers and making a move to leave. However, I tightened my hand around one of his and he stopped immediately, I could feel him shift on the bed.

            "Stay," I ordered, pulling on his arm to make him lay back down, keeping his hand in mine. I didn't want him leaving me. True, I didn't sleep much when he was around, he tried to hard to not make me uncomfortable that he just ended up moving too much, but I was fine with that. I didn't have the most peaceful night's rest when he wasn't there, and when he was with me at least the sleep I got was good.

            "Okay," he offered softly, lying back down a little ways away from me and clasping my hand between his. "I wish we could do this every day, but then it wouldn't be so special," he whispered softly, kissing my fingers again, and I cracked an eye open to stare at him. He was smiling softly, keeping my hand close to his face as he lay there, a few strands of his hair brushing against the back of my fingers. I could feel his breath against the back of them. He closed his eyes and I watched him. I loved watching him sleep, but as soon as I was too tired to stay up and watch him I tightened my hold on his hand a little bit and closed my eyes as well. I never wanted to be separated from him. If only he knew that.

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YAY! All right, now we can get back to Tatsuha and Ryuichi! ^_^ I'm still contemplating ideas for how to do chapter 8, so it might be a while. Then again, it might not. It all depends. I don't want to beg for reviews, but I will anyway, because they make me feel good and write faster. So, PLEASE review, it'd make me so very very happy and it might mean no angst for a while (There's always angst somewhere).


	8. Congratulations and cheesecake

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. Still wish it did, but it doesn't.

Notes: Okay, we're back to Tatsuha and Ryuichi. I think this is the longest chapter I've written so far, minus the ENTIRE chapter 7, but only half of that one is posted.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            Living with Ryuichi for those couple of days would have to be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. He was always waiting for me when I woke up, no matter how late it was. He would just sit there on the couch and play with his Kumagoro while they both watched TV and waited for me. I couldn't understand how he could do it, but he did.

            At first, we were playing games a lot, and we were almost always out doing something. He was really active, but that was all right with me, I was fairly active myself, and didn't have that much of a problem keeping up with him. After a while, though, things leveled back down and there were times I'd be stuck watching TV with Kumagoro while Ryuichi sat next to me and worked on lyrics. He'd never let me see them, but sometimes he'd ask for my help on figuring out a word or two.

            I'd caught a few glimpses of the Ryuichi I had once adored, mostly when he was writing, but I didn't admire him nearly as much now. Ryuichi only looked that way when he was serious, and I didn't like it much. A carefree Ryuichi was almost always more welcome than a serious one. I didn't like the thought of Ryuichi worrying over something, but he didn't seem to worry much, anyway. He told me he was serious when he wrote and sung, because he didn't want to disappoint all of his fans, and because he knew that required being serious. He took me to work with him even, but he was all sunshine and smiles in there, too. Always the Ryuichi that I was slowly learning to love.

            I figured out in a couple days that Ryuichi loved to spoil me. We were always going out somewhere and doing something, at least for a little while each day. The people at the restaurant nearby eventually learned my name as well, and were more than a little surprised when I went in there by myself. I supposed they were used to me going with Ryuichi. I knew he could cook, but I supposed he liked going out better, and it wasn't like I was complaining about it. Although, Ryuichi wasn't bad at all when it came to cooking. He and Kumagoro also took me out to see a lot of movies, but I always paid for myself so I wasn't sure if that counted as taking me anywhere.

            He was hardly ever without Kumagoro, so I was surprised when one day he completely abandoned him at home when we left. He said Kumagoro was supposed to keep guard over the house, but that was a little bit strange to me. He'd never bothered with having Kumagoro 'keep guard' before.

            "Come on! Let's go do something else na no da!" Ryuichi cheered happily as we left our normal restaurant, dragging me along by the arm and smiling happily. I smiled back at him and he blushed a little bit, continuing to drag me along.

            "You have something special in mind?" I asked as he continued to drag me down the street, looking over his shoulder every once in a while to make sure he didn't run into anyone. He nodded and continued to pull me along, humming to himself happily.

            "Come on na no da! There's a really good movie on in a little bit!" he cheered as we finally arrived at the movie theater, still blushing. I had to wonder about that. Ryuichi had opened up a lot to me in the last few days; he normally wasn't as shy around me as he had first been.

            "So, you've seen it before?" I asked as he ran ahead of me inside, following him at my own pace as he practically ran to get his ticket. A few moments later I caught up with him and he smiled brightly, handing me my ticket.

            "I saw it when I was in America na no da," he offered, grabbing my hand and dragging me inside before I could say anything else. Great, so this was an American movie. He dragged me all the way to the theater and up the rows to a good pair of seats, sitting us right in the middle of the row. "Kumagoro didn't want to come see it again with me, that's why I left him at home na no da. Big meanie!" I smiled and leaned back in my seat, waiting for the movie to come on. It wasn't that long of a wait before the lights dimmed and the commercials started. There were a couple humorous ones, and Ryuichi laughed during them. He really was too cute, sometimes. I had to wonder if Eiri ever took Shuichi out to see a movie, and if so if he actually bothered to pay attention to Shuichi. Probably not, but I'd have to suggest it. I'm sure he'd enjoy it, if even just a little bit, listening to Shuichi laugh and try and get my brother into things. I could see it now.

            The movie was actually fairly interesting. It was about some whore (damn, she was pretty, too) and some writer. Kind of reminded me of Eiri and Shuichi (not saying Shuichi is a whore) but she sang a lot and wanted to be an actress so badly it reminded me of his determination.

            It could have been more than a half hour into the movie when I felt something against my hand, but I just ignored it. However, it didn't take me long to realize that it wasn't going to go away. It felt strangely familiar...

Glancing over slightly I caught sight of Ryuichi, blushing and keeping his eyes straight on the screen as his fingers brushed against the back of my hand, glancing quickly and shortly over every few seconds. I smiled and took a deep breath. Either Ryuichi would hate me forever, or this could very well be the first step towards something better.

            Before Ryuichi could react I moved my hand and grabbed his, sliding my fingers between his own. I saw and felt him jump before he looked over at me, blushing immediately and looking away again, almost before I could see his reaction. I was willing to bet that THAT was the reason he'd left Kumagoro at home today. Not because Kumagoro didn't want to see the movie.

            I felt his tiny fingers (he was fairly small compared to me) tighten around my hand near the end. I think he was a little bit afraid of watching a romance movie with me. It had started off comedy, and he hadn't been all too nervous about it. He'd been laughing and squeezing my hand a little bit when he wanted me to pay attention. Now, though, it was all about the two character's relationship, and I could have sworn I felt him shaking a little bit.

            It was a pretty sad ending, and I heard a lot of the girls in the theater crying, but it was to be expected. All in all, it wasn't a bad movie. The ending was definitely more for the girls, but the rest of it was good enough for me.

As the credits rolled I almost immediately found Ryuichi sitting on my lap, burying his face into my chest and clinging to my shirt. He was shaking, and I could have sworn he was crying, so I wrapped my arms around him and held him as the rest of the theater left.

            "What's wrong?" I asked after everyone had left and the lights had come back on. Ryuichi shook his head and tried to burry his face deeper into my shirt. It was a good five minutes later when he sat up and wiped his eyes, smiling at me.

            "Do you like me na no ka?" I blinked a couple times and nodded. What was this all about? He should have known that I liked him by now. "LIKE like me?" I nodded again. Hadn't I made that obvious enough already? His smile grew and he hugged me tightly. "No one's ever liked me like that before na no da." I smiled a little to myself as well, hugging him back in return. Sure, I was a little sorry for him that no one'd ever liked him before, but I was glad that he liked me in return, as well.

            He hoped off my lap after a while and skipped down and out, earning a strange glance from the person cleaning up. I just followed him slowly, wincing as I neared the door and heard Ryuichi's excited scream.

            "Shu-chan!" Opening the door I was surprised to find Ryuichi sitting on top of Shuichi and smiling down at him happily like he'd done when we'd first met. "Shu-chan, Shu-chan! You'll never guess what na no da!" he cheered happily, and I yelped in surprise as someone pulled on my hair, turning around to glare at them. I was surprised to find my brother standing there, looking just as pissed as ever.

            "Whatever it was, I didn't do it, I swear," I offered, raising my hands in front of me as a sign of peace. Eiri sighed and ignored me, walking over to where Shuichi was still stuck on the ground.

            "You're making a scene, idiot." Ryuichi blinked a couple times before getting up and taking a couple steps back, leaving Shuichi room to get back up by himself, which he did.

            "So what're Shu-chan and Yuki-san doing here na no ka?" Ryuichi asked after Shuichi had removed himself from the floor. Shuichi blinked and looked up at him, stopping in his task of brushing dirt off of himself.

            "He followed you inside," Eiri answered for him, pointing to Shuichi to emphasize the point that it hadn't been HIS idea. Shuichi nodded before standing up straight again and smiling brightly at the both of us.

            "So, what's up? It's been a while!" he cheered happily, and Ryuichi nodded. It had only been around two days, but I guess for the two of them that was a while. "Huh? Where's Kumagoro? Did you forget him in the theater or something?" I should have known that one was coming. Of COURSE Shuichi would notice the absence of Ryuichi's little bunny friend.

            "No. I…um…left him at home na no da," Ryuichi managed softly, looking like he wanted to run and hide behind the nearest pillar. He was starting to turn the shade of Kumagoro again. I loved it when he blushed like that. He was too cute. Shuichi smiled and latched onto my brother's arm, staring up at him happily.

            "Yuki Yuki! Ryuichi and Tatsuha are on a date! Aren't you happy for them?" He cheered happily, glancing over at the two of us for a second before checking to see the reaction on my brother's face. He didn't do anything, as was to be expected. Ryuichi, however, was a different story. He blushed as red as the carpet we were standing on and hid his face in his hands almost immediately.

            "That's not it na no da!" he screamed, muted by his hands, which were still covering his face. I smiled evilly to myself and pulled a hand away from his face, sliding my fingers between his again.

            "It wasn't?" Ryuichi jumped and tried to hide again, pressing his face against my arm and shielding himself from Eiri and Shuichi's view with his free hand. He made no move to free his other hand. "Come on, Ryuichi. It's okay. We're not picking fun at you," I offered, placing my free hand on the top of his head. He shook his head but peered over at Shuichi from a crack between his fingers.

            "Yeah. I'm really happy for you, Ryuichi," Shuichi answered sweetly, smiling. Eiri just sighed, shook his head, and turned to leave. Ryuichi seemed satisfied with that and dropped his hand down to his side, turning his head to face Shuichi. He was still leaning against my arm, though.

            "Hey! Does Shu-chan and Yuki-san want to go get dessert with us na no ka! Me and Tatsuha know a really good place, right?" Ryuichi asked happily, looking up at me and I nodded. He was talking about the same place we'd been going to every other day this week. Sometimes we went back and had dessert when we were bored, since it wasn't that long of a walk down there.

            "Umm…I want to go, but I don't know if Yuki would want to." Shuichi looked over his shoulder to accent his point. Eiri was waiting outside the glass doors, arms crossed and glaring at us all. I stuck my tongue out at him and he flipped me off. I guess I should have been expecting that from him. "Umm…I think Yuki's mad at me."

            "Nope. He's flipping me off," I reassured him, smiling and waving at my brother from where I was standing. He just went back to glaring at me and lit a cigarette. Ryuichi tried his hardest not to laugh, but I caught a few giggles. "Let's go ask him, shall we?" Shuichi nodded slowly to himself and Ryuichi and me started towards the door, both of us practically pushing Shuichi ahead of us.

            "Took you long enough, brat," Eiri greeted once we were all outside and Shuichi smiled anyway, latching himself to his arm again.

            "Yuki! Can we go out to get some dessert with Ryuichi and Tatsuha, PLEASE?" Eiri sighed and dropped the cigarette he'd been working on, smashing it beneath his shoe.

            "Fine." Shuichi smiled even brighter and hugged my brother tightly.

            "Thank you Yuki!" Eiri sighed and rested a hand on top of his head.

            "Who said I was doing this for you?"

            "I did!" Shuichi cheered, pulling away and staring up at Eiri. Ryuichi covered his eyes as they kissed. I just ignored it, I was used to the two of them already.

            "So, my darling big brother, could you possibly give me and Ryuichi, who've been walking all day, mind you, a ride there? Since you have a car and my motorc…"

            "We walked, too," Shuichi and Yuki both interrupted at the same time, and Shuichi giggled happily. Oh well, I didn't care. I just didn't feel like walking if I didn't have to.

            "That's fine with me." Ryuichi nodded as well.

            "Yeah! It gives us more time to talk na no da!" He cheered happily.

            "In that case, I'm going back home to get the car," Eiri offered and Shuichi punched him lightly in the arm. "Fine, fine, I'll walk behind you." Shuichi pouted a little bit but gave up, hopping over to Ryuichi and me.

            "Okay then! Let's get going!" he cheered brightly, latching onto Ryuichi's free hand. "Yuki can't spoil things, right?" Ryuichi nodded happily and let go of my hand, skipping off and leading Shuichi. I walked behind them with my brother.

            "Are you mad at me?" I asked after a while of walking, listening to the two chat in front of us. He didn't answer for a while but I waited. He tended to do that to people, answer them after a while of silence. I think he's waiting to see if they'll drop the subject before he answers. Or maybe he's trying to figure out what to say, but I doubt that one. He writes for a living, after all.

            "You forgot something at my house when you left." So was he mad at me or not? I HATED it when he did that. Besides, what could I have left behind? I hadn't brought anything there, had I?

            "Really? I got my clothes from Shuichi first time I saw him after that."

            "Your picture." I had to stop and think about that one for a little bit. Did I bring that with me to Eiri's? I probably did, I took it just about everywhere with me. And to think I'd had Mika looking around for it at her place.

            "Oh. Sorry. Guess you're mad about that, huh?" I should have known I'd done something to piss him off. Oh well, it wasn't like it was something rare. I hadn't done anything TOO embarrassing to him.

            "Can I keep it?" I stopped. Eiri wanted…to keep it? I certainly hadn't been expecting that. He turned to look at me, sort of. He was more staring at the ground and facing me. It was kind of funny. My brother was said to be the biggest asshole in the world, but he was too scared to ask for a picture from me.

            "Sure. I have more at home anyway." He finally looked at me and I smiled, starting to walk again before Ryuichi and Shuichi got too far ahead of us. I don't think he realized that I caught the little smile I got in return. The rest of the walk was made in silence.

            "What took you guys so long na no ka?" Ryuichi asked as we finally caught up to them. They'd probably only been there a minute or two, but I guess once again that that was a long time for them.

            "We walk like the rest of society," Eiri answered coldly but neither of them seemed phased by it. They just grabbed our hands and dragged us inside.

            "Ah! Back for more, I see. Who're your friends?" our waitress asked happily as we made our way inside and Ryuichi turned to smile at her. She was the same girl we'd had before the movie. Creepy. Her name was Sakuma Sakura, and she was Ryuichi's favorite. They weren't related, but he called her his little sister anyway. He said he just found it funny that he'd found someone with the same last name as himself.

            "This is Shu-chan and his boyfriend Yuki-san na no da! We went to see the same movie today!" He cheered happily as we sat down, and pointed to Shuichi and Eiri.

            "Anything to drink?"

            "Mountain Dew!" Shuichi cheered happily, bouncing a little in his seat.

            "Water." She nodded and smiled.

            "Menu's over there, feel free. I'll be back in a bit." And she was gone. Ryuichi kicked his feet happily under the bench and grabbed my hand again, smiling up at me happily.

            "Umm…get that!" Shuichi cheered happily, pointing to a picture on the menu. "We can share it, okay?" Eiri glared at him but agreed, sealed to his fate. "So…what'd you think of the movie, Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked happily as Eiri put the menu back. I shrugged.

            "It was okay, I guess. It was funny at the beginning." Shuichi smiled and leaned his face in his hands.

            "Wasn't it? I was laughing so hard I almost cried! Yuki didn't laugh even ONCE! He's so boring sometimes," he whined, glancing over at Eiri as he said that. He was ignored, though.

            "I liked all the pretty songs na no da!" Ryuichi cheered happily. "I have the American DVD somewhere, I think. And the soundtrack na no da!"

            "Here you go. Two Mountain Dews, water, and your coffee," Sakura announced triumphantly as she finished up with the drink orders. "You guys decided?"

            "We want that!" Shuichi cheered happily, pointing to the picture happily.

            "You four are all so boring, I swear. So three chocolate cheesecakes then?" Ryuichi nodded happily. "So, how'd things go?" Sakura asked once we were done ordering, and I blinked a couple times.

            "Perfect na no da!" Ryuichi cheered and she smiled brightly.

            "I'll tell the others, then. Congrats." What was that about? Eiri and Shuichi looked just as clueless as I felt at that moment. Ryuichi just kept on smiling and sipped at his drink, ignoring us.

            There were a couple small conversations in the time spent waiting, but nothing relatively important. "There you go. I'll be back in a bit with the check," Sakura offered again as she gave us each our dessert and left, smiling and waving. There was a mad grab for the little flag on top of Ryuichi's piece, but he got to it first. He smiled happily before licking off the end of it and setting it next to him.

            "You're mean," I pouted, taking a piece of his as he refused to let me see the little flag for myself.

            "No I'm not! You're the mean one na no da!" he screamed in return as he took a little bit from mine in return. We continued like that for a while until we heard Shuichi laugh and both stopped.

            "Congrats," he offered happily, turning the flag to where I could read it. Yep, that's what it said.

            "Just trade your damn pieces and get the fight over with," Eiri offered as I snatched the food Ryuichi'd stolen from me off his fork.

            "What fun is that?" I asked after I swallowed it, stopping anyway. I didn't want Eiri to get pissed at me. I was having a GOOD day.

            "It's lots of fun, especially for me." Ryuichi and Shuichi both frowned at that and went back to eating, stirring up a random conversation from the middle of nowhere. The pros and cons of crayons and colored pencils, I think. Something weird like that. Ryuichi was on the crayon side.

            We paid and left without ever breaking Ryuichi and Shuichi's argument, and they were once again outside before Eiri and me. He grabbed my arm and stopped me before we joined them outside, and they were too busy arguing to notice.

            "Don't screw this up," he warned me and I smiled. I knew, in some strange Eiri, big-brother way, he was trying to be nice. I just knew these sorts of things.

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WHEE! FINALLY, they're together, but it's not over yet. I just have to worry with figuring out a couple plot elements for the next chapter before I go into the new section of plot. The next section shouldn't last TOO long, though.

Remember, reviews make the authors fonder.

They make me oh so very very happy, and I write faster when I'm happy.


	9. A time to relax

Disclaimers: Same bat story, same bat place. Gravitation still isn't mine.

Notes: No more old TV show quoting for me. I wasn't even old enough for that one; I just know it through other people. Oh yes, and I do have a couple (three) manga and I know a couple things I write here contradict the manga in many ways, so I'd like to point out that this is based on the TV show.

This is told from Mika's POV. I've developed a pattern for my writing chapters now:

YukixShuichi interlude (Yuki), Tatsuha, random character, YukixShuichi interlude (Shuichi), Tatsuha, random character, YukixShuichi interlude (Yuki), ect…so you can expect the next person most times.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer To Your God*~

            "It was so great! Afterwards Shuichi invited us back to Eiri's place, honestly, I'm surprised he let him, and we hung out for a while. I wish we could do tha…"

            "I get the idea Tatsuha," I cut him off sharply. As much as I wanted to hear the rest of the evening in continued, second by second detail, I DID have others things to do today. First on that list would be getting some aspirin for my headache. Unlike talking with Shindo-san, Tatsuha needed proof you were still listening to him every once in a while. You could put the phone down on Shuichi, come back, and he'd never know you'd left.

            To tell the truth, I have nothing against Shuichi. As much as I'm sure everyone else is convinced otherwise, I don't. He's sweet, and cute. If I didn't possess the control I demonstrated at most times around him, I was sure I'd be spoiling him rotten. I have a weakness for young, adorable things. Helping raise two little brothers gives you a real insight into the young mind. Sure, Shuichi was TECHNICALLY an adult, but he still had a boyish look about himself. He didn't look any older than Tatsuha, and if so not by much.

Everyone knows I spoil Tatsuha; it's a weakness of mine. Eiri won't let me spoil him, or I would. He's too independent for that. Tatsuha's only a first year high school student, he can't do anything about it for a while. Besides, I don't think he minds. After all, he's just getting free stuff from it.

            "If that's still Tatsuha tell him to call back later and finish," Tohma offered as he walked through the room, drying his hair. He'd talked to Tatsuha a bit before he'd gone to shower, and I'd been stuck listening to his phone diary, or so it seemed. He barely seemed to breath, he was so excited and in such a rush to tell me everything.

            "Call me back tomorrow, I have things to do today," I finished politely and I could FEEL Tatsuha rolling his eyes at me.

            "More like, 'I don't feel like listening and putting up with you today, continue annoying me tomorrow after my headache goes away,' right?" I couldn't help but smile at that. Tatsuha always did know me well. After all, he spent the most time around me than anyone else in our family, minus our father. I felt closer to him than anyone else, and I'm sure he felt the same. We're comfortable around each other. We both know what gets on the other's nerves, and what we like.

            "Yes, that's basically it." I heard Tatsuha laugh over the other end.

            "Okay then, I'll talk to you later. Don't expect it to get any shorter, though."

            "Don't worry, I wasn't."

            "Bye."

            "Bye." With that I hung up the phone, walking over to the medicine cabinet and grabbing a painkiller and a glass of water, taking it and crushing the small cup in my hand as I threw it away on my way back out of the bathroom.

            "Ditch him?" Tohma asked, continuing in his daily routine of getting ready for work. I nodded and lied down, waiting for my headache to go away. "I take that as a yes, then." I didn't bother to make any move to acknowledge I'd even heard him, but he knew I had. He was used to it by now. "Sorry, guess I'm not helping your headache much, huh?" I knew it. Tohma couldn't keep his nose out of my conversations.

            "Why do you insist on doing that?" he shrugged and walked back to the room we shared. I was used to this routine already. Every day he would go through several outfits before finally picking one. At least now he'd started waking up earlier to prepare for such setbacks. It had only started recently, and I had no idea why. I guess it has something to do with the reforming of Nittle Grasper. After all, their fans have all come back to them now.

            "See you," he offered casually as he walked over to the door and I reached up a hand to wave at him. Today was just NOT one of my better days, for more than one reason. I could have screamed when the phone rang again, but if I didn't answer it, it would just keep ringing and ringing and I'd never get any rest. Sighing I reached over my head and answered it.

            "Hello?" I asked in the best voice I could manage, but I'm sure I came out sounding more than a little irritated at the caller. I know I shouldn't have, it wasn't their fault, but still, one can't help but be a little pissed off now, can they?

            "Hi! Mika-san?" I flinched at the high, loud voice of Sakuma Ryuichi from the other end. He just wasn't one for quiet, and I knew that all too well. However, he managed decently when I asked him to keep his voice down.

            "Ryuichi, could you please turn it down a level, I have a headache." I could hear Ryuichi talking with someone, probably my brother, for a little bit before he came back to the phone.

            "Tatsuha didn't tell you what I wanted him to call you for. Our photo shoot today's been moved an hour na no da. I think they said there was something wrong with the equipment, and when the choice was made to either go when we were supposed to and make the group before us wait or for us all to go later, I had them push us back. So, we don't have to be there for another 45 minutes na no da." I sighed and ran fingers through my hair. I should have known I wouldn't get the nap I'd wanted.

            "Alright. He just left, but I'll call his cell. He might want to get something done instead of sitting around there and waiting." I could hear Ryuichi arguing with someone again over the phone and I couldn't hide the small smile that inched its way over my face.

            "Thanks Mika-san. I have to go na no da. Tatsuha's being a meany. He says I've been on the phone too long na no da. He's…ack…holding Kumagoro hostage na no da!" I flinched at the sudden, sharp scream from the other side of the line, but I knew it couldn't be helped. I could still hear them, but that was okay. I was used to listening to lover's fight over the phone. It was rare that Shuichi and Eiri weren't fighting when I called them.

            "I'll talk to you later then. And Congratulations." The arguing stopped for a little bit then, and I could hear Tatsuha say something in the background.

            "Thanks Mika-san! Talk to you later na no da!" With that he hung up the phone and I was left to my task of calling Tohma. I dug around in my pocket and wanted to scream when I couldn't find his number. Today was definitely not my day. Maybe I should just 'forget' to call him and he can work from the studio. He'd been forced to change his number after some fan had found it out and posted it all over Japan. One could only deal with so many fan calls a day.

            I punched in the closest match I could to it and hoped I was right. I didn't want to have to get up from my position on the couch to go see where I had set it. Knowing me, it could be anywhere. I was a normally organized person, but not so much so when it was early and I was frustrated.

            "Hello?" Oh, for once a good sign. That was definitely Tohma's voice.

            "Hi." No need to say any more than necessary.

            "Mika?" He seemed a little confused, but why shouldn't he have been. It had only been close to five minutes since he had left.

            "Yes. Ryuichi just called and wanted me to tell you that the photo shoot's been moved."

            "Really? Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?" There he went again. He was the boss, the head, the top guy, and he knew it. He always seemed offended or something when he wasn't the first to know about something. He especially hated it when he was last to know.

            "I think they called Ryuichi to make the decision, I can't be too sure. Anyway, Tatsuha was supposed to tell me, but he got a little sidetracked." I could almost see the displeased look on Tohma's face as I talked to him. Chances were he'd be giving Tatsuha a long talk about responsibility later. Sure, he'd already had the talk many times before, but specifics weren't important. Not until Tatsuha finally got it ALL through that thick little head of his.

            "Alright then, I guess there's no helping it. Thanks for informing me. I know you're probably not too happy about it, headache and all."

            "Eh, don't worry about it." Really, it wasn't that big of a deal. So I felt like being lazy today and Ryuichi and Tatsuha had ruined it, big deal.

            "Since I'll be home later I'll pick up something to eat. What do you want?" Hm, fast food. Something I hadn't had in a while…I wasn't good at this. Tohma normally picked what we were going to eat. I didn't particularly care, really. Food was food. Unless, of course, you were treating me to a really nice dinner. Then the food was important.

            "I don't know. Whatever's around there, I guess." I spent most of my time being bitchy and commanding outside the home, I didn't have to bother with it when I was home. There I could relax and let Tohma do all the work, which I guess was my own way of commanding him.

            "Alright then. I'll talk to you when I get back, I guess." I stifled a yawn and nodded.

            "I guess so. Bye."

            "Goodbye." I hung up once again and tossed the phone back onto the holder, knowing it didn't land in the right spot but at least assured it was still on the table area.

            Curling up on my side I closed my eyes and prepared to take a very long, very sought-after nap. I'd been up until fairly early this morning driving back to Tokyo. Sometimes I couldn't believe how juvenile my father was. And he wants Tatsuha to mature and grow up! How is he supposed to when his own father is too stubborn to see things for what they are? Sometime I think it's a lost cause, trying to make him see what's really better for his sons. He can go ahead and believe what he wants. The boys see me as being a selfish bitch, trying to pull Shuichi away from Eiri when they first got together, but I told Shuichi to stay with him after his return from New York. I'm only doing what I think is best for Eiri, and I'm willing to change my opinions if I see reason to. Father wouldn't even consider bending his opinions just the slightest bit.

            And Tatsuha! I hadn't let him meet with Ryuichi for good reasons! I hadn't thought for the life of me that he'd behave as he did around him. At first I thought he'd do to Ryuichi what every other fan did, but I should have known better. I'm happy for him, for seeing who Ryuichi really is and not leaving him. Every other fan had just wanted his body and I think, even though he may not have shown it, that it had started getting to him. I was also happy for Ryuichi, for managing to find someone who cared about him, and for liking him back.

            Now that they were both happy, I could finally relax a little bit. Sure, I still needed to convince my father, but I had a while still.

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YAY! I'm finally done with this! Sorry it took so long, but first I couldn't decide who to write it from, and then I couldn't think of what to write about, and then I just got lazy and all that. I also got sort of sidetracked with band and school and all that annoying school-related stuff that I don't mind all THAT much, except it takes a lot of my time.

Also, the movie last chapter was Moulin Rouge, I forgot to mention.

Than Djeu, for pointing that out. I'd meant to say that in my notes, but I forgot it! ^_^

Reviews make authors happy, and happy authors write much FASTER! ^_^

will not beg, will not beg…

yes I will! PLEASE review! It'll make me so very very happy if you do!


	10. Chasing away the nightmares

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. If any of you would like to pull together and give it to me, I'd be ecstatic!

Notes: I've had this chapter stuck in my head forever but I had to get chapter 9 out first! Oh well, now I can finally write it! Told from Shuichi's POV.

Don't worry, it's short…

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I woke up slowly, blinking in the darkness. I could feel Yuki's arms wrapped around me, and I knew I must have had another nightmare. I don't normally remember them, but Yuki always sleeps with me when I have them. It's comforting, to know that he's always right there for me, trying to protect me from them. He said he wouldn't dare wake me up, no matter how bad it was, because he thought bad things needed a resolution, or it would haunt me longer.

            I turned onto my side and curled up against him, and I felt his arms tighten around me. He was awake, I was aware of that, but we never spoke. There wasn't really anything to say. We both knew that I'd been having some sort of nightmare, and I didn't know what it was any more than he did. I did remember one nightmare of mine very clearly, though.

            I'd had it the day before I got sick, and it was the only time I woke up without Yuki there. It was that night…with Aizawa. I was watching it, watching myself from the outside of the scene. Yuki didn't think I'd seen the pictures, but I had. I'd found them while trying to retrieve my watch from the trash one day. I know exactly how pitiful I looked at each moment.

At first it was just a reenactment, but then Aizawa's voice changed and the next time I blinked it was Yuki. The same script, the same movements, different actor. I couldn't take it anymore, so I closed my eyes and screamed, clutching at my head. Two other people screamed with me. Shuichi, and someone else behind me.

            I turned around quickly and opened my eyes, not knowing what to find. Looking behind me and I was met with the exact same scene I'd been staring at before. Except, the actors had been changed yet again.

            Yuki was playing the role of myself, pinned to the ground by those two while the other one bent over him and ran fingers through his hair, licking at his ear. Aizawa was that damn teacher of his, arms crossed as he smiled satisfactorily at the scene. I tried to reach out and help him, but I couldn't reach either scene. It was like I was watching them both through glass walls, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. It was the same damn thing on both sides of me, only when I screamed Yuki screamed with me, and Kitazawa did all the laughing, Yuki's voice echoing with it. I woke up when they let us go. I knew the end already.

            I was shaking so badly when I woke up afterwards but I was so afraid. I just couldn't stay alone in the living room. I couldn't get rid of the fear that kept on telling me that there was a reason for my dream. That maybe it was to show that Yuki had left me again, or was going to betray me. All I knew was that I needed comfort. I ran into Yuki's room, who immediately sat up to see what was wrong, and collapsed against him.

That was the first time I remember crying over one of those damn nightmares. Yuki just held me then and ran his fingers through my hair as he rocked me softly. He could be so sweet and gentle when he wanted to be. Even when his words were so harsh and cutting, whenever he touched me or held me he was always so gentle and caring. I could even hear sweetness in some of the things he said to me. I could feel his cheek against the top of my head as I cried, and he just continued to comfort me. I remember crying myself to sleep that night.

            "Shuichi." I blinked as Yuki spoke. He normally didn't dare, but neither did I. It was always so much more comfortable when it was quiet. We could pretend nothing was wrong, and I didn't have to think about anything. Even though I didn't remember what I'd been dreaming about, they still wore me down. I didn't like thinking much afterwards.

            "Hm?" I pushed myself closer to him and closed my eyes again, waiting for him to finish what it was he wanted to say. There was no use ruining the moment with unnecessary words. I felt his hold on me tighten a little bit and I curled my fingers around his shirt.

            "I'm sorry." My eyes opened quickly at that and I let go of him, pushing away to stare at him. He immediately turned so that he was lying on his back and looking the other way. I moved over to where I could see him, crawling over him so he wouldn't have a chance to roll away and avoid me. He looked so sad, and he still wouldn't look at me.

            "Why?" He glanced over at me and slowly reached a hand up to my cheek.

            "A lot of things." I smiled and covered his hand with one of my own. Yuki was only sweet and caring like this at night, and there was almost always a reason behind it, but I enjoyed it. True, I know Yuki was depressed and sorry because of something important, but I couldn't help but enjoy the soft touches and kind words he offered me. It was what I dreamed of.

            "That's alright. I'm fine, just so long as you care about me." Yuki finally looked at me and I flashed him my best comforting smile, lying back down on top of him. I both heard and felt him sigh as he ran fingers through my hair, holding me again.

            "I don't understand you."

            "Don't worry about it, no one does. That doesn't matter." We were quiet after that, and things were comfortable again. "Love you," was my last conscious thought before I fell back asleep, and somewhere in my subconscious I felt Yuki hold me tighter. I don't think I had any more nightmares after that.

However, it couldn't have been long before I was woken up again. Or maybe it was, I couldn't tell. Whichever way, I was still damn tired.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he tried to move me in my sleep, still at that point where my brain wasn't quite functioning properly. Hovering between sleep and consciousness. I was still harboring the faint hope that Yuki would just forget it and go back to sleep.

            "To work." I sighed and was about ready to ask for him to wait for me when I was dumped back onto the bed and ordered to sleep. Needless to say, I was awake by that point.

            "I'm supposed to sleep after that?" I asked as I sat up, rubbing my eyes and searching for the clock. Damn. Only 4 AM. Why the hell was he up and writing so early anyway? "You're so cruel sometimes, Yuki." He didn't pay any attention to me as he dressed. I could barely see him in the dark, but I could hear him well enough.

            "Go back to sleep. I don't need you disturbing me so early in the morning." I pouted and dragged myself over to the edge of his bed, glaring at him as best I could in the dark. I doubt he could see me, but that didn't matter.

            "You're the one that woke ME up, remember?" I whined, noting dully that he was moving back towards the bed. Maybe he'd give up on the idea of work now. I screamed as I felt him press me back against the bed, throwing the covers over me dismissively.

            "Sleep," he demanded one last time before leaving. I smiled happily to myself and lay there enjoying the warmth for a while before crawling out of his bed and wandering outside. I grabbed myself something quick to eat and made my way into his office to bug him. I know that's why he wanted me to sleep. He was probably doing something really embarrassing he didn't want me to know about. Normally I would have gone back to sleep and let him work, but lately I'd grown quite curious as to what he was doing. He hadn't let me in there when he was working for such a LONG time now.

            "I should have known you wouldn't stay in there," he offered offhandedly as I sat down next to him, blanket draped over my shoulders. Yuki kept it fairly cold in his house, and it felt even colder after just waking up. Therefore, I was often seen carrying around blankets for a while after waking up.

            "Of course not!" I cheered happily. Yuki seemed aggravated, but I didn't care. I was damn tired at the moment, too. However, I didn't want to leave Yuki by himself to work so early. I didn't like working alone in the dark, it made me so edgy sometimes. I was sure Yuki didn't feel the same way, but I enjoyed his company either way. It was just a really good excuse to follow him in there. I hoped he enjoyed my company, too.

            "So…what'cha workin' on?" I asked after a couple minutes of silence. Well, almost silence. I could still hear Yuki's keyboard as he worked. It was a somewhat aggravating sound, but at least it kept it from being quiet.

            "A book, stupid." No shit. Not even I was that stupid. I smiled like the idiot I was and got up to read it over his shoulder.

            "What's it about?" I asked happily, leaning over slightly to read the words. He immediately slammed the top of his laptop down and I had to try so hard not to laugh. Aw, poor Yuki was ashamed of something he wrote. "Tell me," I whined and Yuki looked just about ready to throw me out. He knew I'd stop soon…I hoped. Otherwise I'd probably get locked out again.

            "It's about an idiot that pissed their lover off SO much one day that he was forced to leave and never return again. Get the hint?" I pouted and tore off a corner of my pop tart, handing it to him as I sat down.

            "Geeze. Fine then, be mean. I brought you something to eat, since I know you won't grab anything later," I offered as he took the peace offering between his teeth, still preoccupied with typing. He was like such a little kid sometimes, it was cute. I don't think he realized he was doing it, or I was sure he'd stop himself.

            "Thanks, now go back to sleep," he demanded as soon as a hand was free to break off the remaining section of pop tart from his mouth.

            "Aw. I don't get to feed Yuki the rest of it?" I pouted and Yuki glared at me, taking my food away before I could even grab one for myself.

            "Don't push it. Sleep." I pouted and left, partially closing the door behind me with my foot. He was so MEAN sometimes, but that was okay. He'd been so nice earlier; I couldn't stay mad at him for long.

            "Oh, and in case you were wondering, my sister's name is Maiko, not Miki," I pointed out as I peered my head around the doorway, smiling evilly. He turned and glared at me for all he was worth and I just smiled at him, waving goodbye before closing the door and making my way over to the couch, collapsing immediately and burying myself under the blanket I'd been carrying. I buried my face in my pillow and closed my eyes, thankful for the opportunity to go back to sleep.

            I didn't like to sleep in Yuki's bedroom without Yuki being there with me. It felt too much like I was intruding on his personal space. When he was there it was all right, because he was keeping me close to him anyway, and I couldn't really call that intruding. I did it sometimes when he was gone, but I was always off before he came home. It made me feel less alone.

            "I knew her name was Maiko, idiot." I smiled to myself even from where my face was buried in the pillow as I heard Yuki's comment, felt him pull the blanket to cover me more, and heard the sound of him putting something on the table. As soon as I heard his office door shut again I opened my eyes to see what it was, and smiled when I caught sight of my pop tart sitting in the wrapper on the edge of the table. It was nice to know he hadn't forgotten about me.

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Yes, it was short, oh well. It's good enough for me. I think…I dunno. Oh well, more YukixShuichi fluff for you all! Guess what that means? Yep! More Tatsuha! Not to say it's going to be anything spectacular, but it's a step in the right direction, getting to one of their point of views, right?

*Swallows dignity* I WANT REVIEWS! Please be nice and give me some, they are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO motivational. They just make me want to write faster and faster and make more and more GOOD things happen in my ficcy!


	11. Dances and goodbyes

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. I only wish it did…

Notes: Back to Tatsuha and Ryuichi!

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer To Your God*~

            I sighed as I drug myself out of bed slowly (It had been my turn to sleep on the bed, since we rotated ourselves from bed and mattress every day, that way it would be fair). Today was the last day I got to stay with Ryuichi. True enough, it wasn't like I was going far away forever and ever, but I liked staying with him. I know Mika, Tatsuha, Yuki, and my father wouldn't approve of me staying with him any longer than this.

            I smiled happily at the thought of all the fun things I could do with Ryuichi for my last day there, opening the door quietly and peering around to watch Ryuichi for a while. He was playing with Kumagoro happily, humming a little song and occasionally asking him questions. I couldn't hear him, he was whispering them to him, but his face showed that he was asking him something. My adorable little Ryuichi, he always made the cutest face when he was confused.

            "Shh! Kumagoro, I think we're being watched na no da!" Ryuichi whispered loudly, pressing a finger to his lips to motion for Kumagoro to stay quiet as he turned to smile at me happily, finger still pressed against his lips firmly. "Morning Tatsuha!" he cheered happily after a little bit of staring at one another and hoping the other would crack and laugh. It was a normal game for us to play when we were bored or tired.

            "Morning Ryuichi." He jumped up almost immediately, hand still clutching at Kumagoro, and ran over to me, smiling up at me happily.

            "Whatcha wanna do?" he asked cheerily. "I promised Shuichi I'd meet him at the arcade later this afternoon, you're going to come with me, right na no ka?" I nodded and he twirled happily. "Goodie!"

            "Did you have anything else planned?" I asked, stopping him in his twirling around the room, grabbing his shoulders. He smiled up at me and closed an eye happily, holding up a finger.

            "Want me to cook breakfast, and then we can go and eat all the dessert the restaurant has to offer na no da. We can always go back with Shuichi afterwards, too!" I smiled and nodded, letting go of him. He bounced off towards the kitchen happily, swinging Kumagoro as he did so.

            "So, whatcha gonna make?" I asked, following him into the kitchen. Ryuichi turned around suddenly and pressed tiny hands to my chest, pushing me pack outside the kitchen. Kind of funny, he was so much older than me yet sometimes I caught myself referring to him as if I was the older of us.

            "Stay outside and let me cook! I want it to be a SURPRISE!" he cheered happily, setting Kumagoro on the table to keep watch as he turned around and went to gathering things. I glared at Kumagoro for a while before attempting once again to enter. Ryuichi immediately ran over to the table, picked up Kumagoro, and threw him at me. "No! I want it to be a surprise na no da!" He once again pushed me outside and picked up Kumagoro, setting him back on the table.

            Every time I tried to enter the kitchen Ryuichi would throw Kumagoro at me, run over and pick him up, and tell me to sit back down. I did as I was told after a while. It didn't take me long to get bored with that game. Besides, I think I was starting to make him upset. He looked like he was going to cry the last time and I had to apologize. I kissed his forehead for good measure, too. He seemed okay after that, but told me to wait outside.

            Therefore, I was stuck waiting outside and watching more of his Nittle Grasper tapes, as was to be expected of me. I should have watched the family videos (it wasn't like I hadn't already seen them, he let me watch them last week after we got together) but I hadn't felt like digging through the tapes. I just watched what was already in there.

            "Tatsuha! I'm done na no da!" I sighed and turned off the video I was watching, getting up. "Come on! You slept in so we aren't going to get all the desserts we want na no da! I still want some, though!" I smiled as he pulled me into the kitchen. He hadn't made anything extremely remarkable, but it was enough.

            I hugged him shortly and kissed the top of his head. "Thanks." He smiled and nodded, blushing a little bit. It was all sorts of American food, I suppose. I'd had most of it, but there were a few things I'd never tried before. All in all, it was great, and Ryuichi continued on and on about nothing the entire time, keeping me entertained. I was going to miss it when I was back home, but that was something to think about later, not now.

            "Come on! The waitress's will want to see you today, too na no da!" he cheered as he grabbed our finished plates, practically dropping them into the sink and running water over them. I smiled to myself and picked up Kumagoro as we waited. Ryuichi didn't even bother to tell me when he was ready, just grabbed my arm and started walking, startling me. I almost fell over but I somehow managed to keep my balance.

            "Tatsuha-san!" Almost immediately upon entering the restaurant doors I found three of the waitresses attached to me, hugging me tightly. "We're going to miss you!"

            "Yeah! You'd better drop by every once in a while, even if you AREN'T going to be staying with Ryuichi!" I laughed softly and agreed to all of their demands, and they seemed happy enough.

            We both had as much dessert as possible without getting sick, and Ryuichi kept on checking the time every couple minutes. It was cute, how much he seemed to want time to speed up for him. We were only there for around 15 minutes, but Ryuichi made it seem like he'd been sitting around for an hour or so. It probably seemed like it to him, since he was keeping near EXACT track of the time. So, we made our way to the arcade as quickly as we humanly could.

            Upon our arrival at the arcade I couldn't keep myself from laughing at the scene I found awaiting us. Shuichi was trying, unsuccessfully, to drag my brother into the arcade. From the look on his face, I'm sure Shuichi didn't tell him where they were headed when they left the house that morning. I'm sure he wouldn't have been able to get him there if he would have.

            "Yuki! Come on! Ah! Tatsuha! Help me convince your brother to come inside! It isn't EVIL or anything!" Shuichi pleaded as he caught sight of Ryuichi and me. Ryuichi immediately ran over to his side and tried to help him convince Eiri to come inside for Shuichi.

            "Come on, it's not like it will kill you to go in there," I tried halfheartedly as I walked up next to him, poking him in the shoulder. He looked over and glared at me as well. I smiled, used to this game already. "Come on, do it for Shuichi. I'm sure it'll make him happy. Right?" Shuichi nodded happily and Eiri looked from me to Shuichi to me to Shuichi for a while.

            "Helping the brat. Figures. All right, I'll go in there with you, but not for any longer than ten minutes. The very SECOND you go over I'm OUT!" Shuichi smiled and nodded happily, pulling him inside with him. Ryuichi smiled and pulled me inside as well. The dragged us all the way to the back of the arcade, ignoring all the tempting games as they walked on. Even I was tempted to stop and watch a couple of them. There seemed to be a really interesting match going on around the Mortal Kombat one.

            "Okay na no da! Stand here! We're going to go get some tokens for it na no da!" Ryuichi cheered as we finally reached our destination. I did as I was told and Shuichi obviously ordered Eiri to do the same. It was hard to tell since there was some pretty loud music blaring from the machine near us. I couldn't see what it was through the crowd of people, but that was okay. I'm sure I'd get to see eventually.

            "What've you been doing all day?" I almost screamed as I heard Eiri's voice, not expecting to hear from him at all that day. After all, my brother wasn't necessarily social. Also, he had to be standing right next to me in order for me to hear him. He was actually ATTEMPTING to start a real conversation with me. I'm SO glad he and Shuichi are together sometimes.

            "Not much. I slept in, and Ryuichi and me were just saying goodbye to the girls at the restaurant before we came here. I should take a couple desserts back home with me." The dissatisfied noise my brother made kind of made me wonder about what I was doing wrong.

            "Don't act like it's forever, idiot. It's only going to be…"

            "YUKI! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Shuichi announced happily, latching onto my brother's arm and affectively destroying our conversation. Ryuichi bounced up next to me and smiled up at me happily, clinging to his tokens in one hand as the other latched onto mine.

            "There's a bit of a line, so we have to wait a while na no da." I nodded and heard Shuichi repeat the information to my brother. He didn't seem happy about that, but the look Shuichi was giving him kept him from leaving. It was about a four minute wait, and we still couldn't see exactly what it was Ryuichi and Shuichi were in line for. A couple giggling girls made their way past us from the crowd, a few of them talking about how stupid they must have looked. Shuichi just smiled and watched them leave.

            Eventually most of the crowd was gone and Ryuichi and Shuichi grabbed onto our hands, dragging us towards the machine. It was large, and loud. I'd heard of it before, of course, but I'd yet to see it in person.

            "It's brand new na no da!" Ryuichi cheered as he hopped onto one of the pads, putting in his money. "We wanted to show you something!" My brother almost immediately turned to leave but Shuichi attached himself to his shoulder again. After a while and what seemed like quite a lot of pleading and a near-tears incident he turned back around, crossed his arms, and prepared to wait.

            Shuichi and Ryuichi both entered their tokens and argued over what song for a while before finally selecting one. Smiling happily they began, occasionally looking over their shoulders to see if we were still there. They both looked so happy.

            After that song was over they both agreed on the next song and turned to talk to us while they waited for it to select it. Just random chitchat for a couple seconds. They were back dancing after that, mouthing the words with the singer and smiling at us both happily. Eiri didn't seem impressed, but I sure was. They were both raking in perfect scores, and both of them were facing us. I could never have memorized something so hard.

            Shuichi turned back around and picked the last song and Ryuichi simply waited, hopping back and forth on the free areas. He smiled at me happily as the music started.

            "Me and Shuichi did this one na no da!" he cheered happily, smiling. It didn't sound like any of their songs to me, but it was most likely remixed to death, so I shouldn't have been expecting it to. My brother didn't look half as uninterested as the two of them started to dance.

            They were singing along with the machine, arms outstretched to us as they danced along, smiling and singing happily. Ryuichi winked at me and motioned for me to come closer with his outstretched hands. We'd already attracted a crowd, but I didn't really care at that moment. Besides, what bad could happen? I stepped closer and he grabbed my hands, laughing and glancing over at Shuichi, who smiled brighter. He was pulling on my hands every once in a while in an attempt to make me dance, but it wasn't working really well. Eiri took a step back upon noticing my predicament. I was having fun with it, but I was sure Eiri probably wouldn't like it that much.

            Afterwards Ryuichi hugged me tightly, breathing heavily, still. He was laughing and rubbing his head against my chest happily. I held him and glanced over at Shuichi, who was standing in front of Eiri and smiling happily as they talked.

            "I'm going to miss you when you leave na no da," Ryuichi managed after a while, putting a little distance between us so he could smile up at me happily. I nodded my agreement and ran fingers through his hair. It was all so perfect. I never would have thought this would happen to me. It seemed to good for someone like myself.

            "Tatsuha! What'd you think?" Shuichi asked as he popped up next to the two of us. "Fun, huh?" I nodded, letting go of Ryuichi so he could go and talk to Shuichi like he obviously wanted to do. The two of them kept on playing for a while, and Ryuichi got me on there a couple times. Even on the easiest settings and the easiest songs I couldn't beat a single stage. Eiri just sat back and watched. He seemed content enough to just watch Shuichi have fun.

            "Wasn't that fun Tatsuha?" Ryuichi asked as he spun back into his house. He blinked when he noticed I was still in the doorway and grabbed onto my hands. He made me twirl around with him, laughing. Eventually we both fell over but he just kept on laughing, wrapping his arms around my neck when I hovered over him so he could breath. He was so much smaller than me, after all. After he calmed down a bit he smiled up at me, eyes shining happily. "Call me when you're gone na no ka?"

            "Of course." His smile grew and he dropped his hands from around my neck, pulling his shirt down a little bit, a small blush appearing again. "I'll call you when I come back to Tokyo, too. We can do something then." I don't think Ryuichi noticed how much closer we were getting. Even I hardly processed it until I felt his lips against mine. His hands reached up and grabbed the sides of my shirt gently as I kissed him, and my hands once again found their way into his hair.

            I was a little surprised when I felt him lick at my lips gently, but I opened my mouth and let him kiss me. We'd never kissed before, and I don't think it could have been any better. I could feel his hands tightening on my shirt as he arched a little, trying to get closer to me.

            Separating I opened eyes I hadn't even realized I'd shut, watching him as his own eyes fluttered open. Almost immediately afterwards he screamed and let go of me, pulling his shirt collar up to hid his face from me. I couldn't help but laugh, gently prying his hands off his collar and sliding back where it belonged. He was bright red as he stared up at me, fidgeting a little bit.

            "Sorry." He seemed to pause and think about that a little bit before shaking his head quickly.

            "No! Don't be na no da! I'm happy, but…"

            "A little embarrassed?" He nodded quickly, hiding his face in his hands. I laughed again and pried his hands away, pining them to the ground as I kissed him again…and again.

            "I don't want you to go." I nodded and pressed my forehead to his. He looked so sad; I couldn't believe I'd actually managed to find someone so caring. I'd always wanted to meet Sakuma Ryuichi, but I never thought I'd ever want or get anything but a screw out of him. I hadn't been expecting him to be so incredibly sweet, caring, and innocent, no matter how much Tohma told me about him.

            "I don't want to go, either, but it's only a week. Don't worry about it." Ryuichi blinked a couple times, before smiling up at me happily.

            "It's only a week na no ka!" I blinked a couple times and nodded and Ryuichi hugged me tightly. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't going away for that long?"

            "I thought I did."

            "Don't you have to go back to school?" I nodded and Ryuichi looked confused again.

            "I go to high school in Tokyo. I can't go back and forth between my house and school every day, so I stay with my dad's friends in Tokyo during school." His eyes lit up when I finished. I couldn't believe it as I watched tears roll down his face softly.

            "So it won't be that long until I can see Tatsuha again na no da," he managed softly, wiping at the tears, a brilliant smile on his face.

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ALL RIGHT! GO ME! I FINALLY GOT THIS CHAPTER FINISHED! I've wanted to finish this for so long now, but now it's done. Forewarning, if I get grounded it'll be a long while before I can write on this again. My mom's swore it's six weeks grounding if I get it. ;_;

Oh, and the movie in chapter 8 was Moulin Rouge (the new one). It's one of my all-time favorite movies!

Reviews are GREATLY appreciated. They really encourage me to write faster!


	12. Time with friends

Disclaimers: Gravitation STILL doesn't belong to me, although I do have a small chance of getting more mangas. ^_^

Notes: MY REPORT CARD WAS GOOD! I DIDN'T GET GROUNDED AFTER ALL! I was going to be grounded for six weeks if I had missing assignments in my classes noted on my report card, but there weren't any. GO ME! Also, my hair is PURPLE purple again, and I just got some really cool fake fingernails.

/thoughts/

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I woke up early the day Tatsuha left, and went with him to the station to wait for his train. I ended up sleeping on him most of the time we were waiting, only waking up every time he stirred. He didn't move much, which was nice na no da. I feel kind of bad about that, but Tatsuha said he didn't care. He was tired too, and it was our last couple moments together for a whole week, so I still feel bad about it na no da.

            Afterwards I went home and took a nap. Kumagoro slept with me this time. Tatsuha and I had both shared the bed the night before, and Kumagoro had offered to sleep on the mattress so it wouldn't be so crowded. I took a nap with him to make up for it. He seemed a lot happier after that. We'd kind of grown distant while Tatsuha was there, since we both wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. Sure, we still hung out together na no da, but not as often as we used to.

            "Morning Kumagoro," I offered with a smile as I woke up, covering my mouth when I noticed that Kumagoro was still sleeping. I tried to go back to sleep before I heard Kumagoro yawn and I sat up, poking him gently. "Awake now?" He nodded at me and I picked him up, setting him on my lap.

            We talked about a lot of things after that. What we had forgotten to tell each other when Tatsuha was around, mostly na no da. He told me all about what it had been like in the dryer and washer for the first time. Kumagoro said it was fun, but it sounded scary to me na no da! He was talking about all the spinning he did and the way the towels hugged him and kept him warm when he got cold before we threw him in the dryer, and then they fanned him off to keep him nice and cool.

            See, I normally gave Kumagoro normal baths, but Tatsuha and I had been playing around in the park one day, and when he told me he'd buy me some ice cream when we were done I dropped him right into a BIG mud puddle. We weren't going to embarrass him and take him with us to get ice cream like that, but the store was closing soon na no da. So, instead of giving him a normal bath, which would have taken to long, I threw him in the laundry with a couple of my other pink things. It worked; he was clean in time to go with us to get ice cream.

            See, it wasn't often when Tatsuha took me places. He didn't have the money me and Kumagoro had, but he said he wanted to pay us back somehow for letting us stay and being so nice, so he took us out when he could na no da. Never anywhere really nice, and not very often, but it was enough for me. It showed me that he cared about me, and wanted to make me happy. I could buy myself whatever I wanted, at any time, but Tatsuha couldn't. The fact that he gave up his money for me, even when he KNEW he didn't have to, made me feel good na no da. Most times he just took me out for ice cream, but we all liked ice cream, so that was alright na no da.

            Dragging myself out of bed, Kumagoro with me, of course, I headed for the living room, flopping down on the couch and staring at the TV screen. I'd kept it out when Tatsuha was staying with us, so he could watch TV whenever he wanted, but he wasn't there anymore so I could put it back away and use it for a complete practice room again. I'd be sure to do that later.

            "I wonder what Tatsuha's doing right now, don't you Kumagoro?" Kumagoro nodded and I squirmed a little bit as I felt something poking into my butt. Reaching around and looking for it I found out it was the remote control na no da! I normally put it on the table, but Tatsuha'd forgotten to put it back, I guess. "Want to watch some TV while it's still in here na no ka? There might be something good on, after all." Kumagoro nodded and I turned it on, flipping through channels. It was mid-Saturday; there wasn't really anything good on. That was the time most people spent outside working or doing other things.

            I frowned as I dropped the remote, not bothering to pick it up right away. It had stopped conveniently on a news station. Most people didn't understand why I went into singing, not all of the reasons anyway. It wasn't just my love of singing that did it. Sure, that's the main MAIN reason, but that's not the only reason I wanted to be a singer. I could still sing whether it was my career or not. Another, not so important reason I sang, was that I wanted to erase the news. It disgusted me. It told all about the bad things in life na no da. There weren't half as many good stories as bad on the news. They made money off of publishing bad things; I wanted to shower each station, magazine, and paper with stories about myself. GOOD stories.

            As I bent over to pick up the remote I set it on the couch next to me, finger pressing the up button on the volume controls. I could have SWORN I'd heard my name.

            "…after some research was found to be a student, enrolled in a high-school here in Tokyo. A first-year student from Kyoto, who had obviously been staying with relatives until not too long ago this summer. One can guess that he's quite popular with the ladies in one glance. One can only imagine what's going on between these two. After their show last night around the city, I wouldn't be surprised by anything. You?" It didn't take me long to figure out they were talking about Tatsuha and me. How could they even THINK we were doing something wrong na no ka!

            "Me either. You know, I was there that night. My son had wanted to play a couple rounds of DDR as well. They were up when we arrived there. My son wanted an autograph, but I decided it was best we didn't disturb him." Blinking I picked up the phone and grabbed the phonebook from underneath the couch, where I kept it. Sliding out a small piece of paper I dropped the book back onto the floor. Unfolding it I read quickly through the stations. 49…49…aha! There na no da!

            I quickly dialed the number and waited for someone to pick up. Anyone. Anyone at all, I could get my way on-air in a couple of minutes if I REALLY wanted to. Tohma could do that for me if I couldn't do it myself.

            "Hello?"

            "Hiya! This is Sakuma Ryuichi, can I please say something really important on your earlier statements na no ka! It's really important to me!" There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while, and I could hear the commotion going on behind them. People shouting orders and things being moved.

            "I don't have time to deal with this right now. Can you prove you're really Sakuma-san in the next, I dunno, minute?" I closed my eyes and sang. A little bit from what I'd been working on lately. I know how recognizable my voice is. There wasn't any way they weren't going to know it was me na no da! If this girl worked at the news station, there was no way she wouldn't know who I was, at least. "I'll try my hardest, Sakuma-san." I nodded and I was once again listening to the background noise of the station.

            "We can get your statement on-air in a few minutes. Do you want me to try and get you on-air or do you want me to take a message and hand it to them?"

            "I'll say it right now: Tatsuha and I have not done anything wrong na no da. He's only 16 and I'm aware of that, I wouldn't dare do anything that would get either of us in trouble na no da. I'm not stupid enough to do something like that. Sure, if he was old enough I might have considered it, but I wouldn't have done it! Even so, it wouldn't be any of your business what Tatsuha and I do na no da." My eyes had narrowed sharply as I spoke to them, so said the now black television screen. I heard her scribbling some things down, and her voice was slightly more wary as she spoke again.

            "Alright then. I'm so sorry about that, but it's the media's way. I'm sure I wouldn't like it anymore than you." I smiled happily, eyes widening again.

            "Thank you! It's nice someone tries to understand me na no da! PLEASE don't tell anyone this, but that's why I like Tatsuha so much. He tries to understand me!"

            "I won't, don't worry about it." There was a sweet tone of voice evident as she spoke, and I nodded happily. "Thank you for calling us Sakuma-san."

            "No problem. Thanks for listening. Kumagoro says thanks, too na no da!" I heard her laugh softly before thanking me again and hanging up the phone. I nodded and hung up as well, leaning back and closing my eyes. I pulled Kumagoro into my lap as I stared at the ceiling. "Do you think this'll work Kumagoro?" I asked softly, petting Kumagoro's head as I thought. He offered no help and I sighed, setting him on the couch again. "I mean, I really like him, but he said he didn't want to be a part of the media, right? I can't keep him a secret na no da." Everyone probably already knew about Tatsuha now, but I had to wonder if that would be a problem for him. After all, the day we met he said he didn't like attention from the media.

            I jumped as someone knocked on my door, sighing and getting up from the couch. I peered cautiously around the corner as I opened it, smiling brightly as I caught sight of Shuichi standing there. Sure, Tohma had made sure that no reporters could get to my house, but I was still allowed a little bit of paranoia. It wasn't like there hadn't been times they'd shown up anyway.

            "Hey Ryuichi. Yuki's bitching about his deadline again and I don't want to bug him so wanna go out to eat somewhere? Y'know, as friends? Since Tatsuha's gone and Yuki's busy it can be a chance for us to hang out. Wanna go?" I nodded happily, opening the door for Shuichi to come in as I ran over and grabbed Kumagoro, depositing him in Shuichi's arms.

            "I have to get ready na no da. I wasn't planning on going anywhere after I dropped Tatsuha off so I didn't get dressed again na no da. Watch after Kumagoro for me for a second, Shu-chan!" Shuichi smiled and nodded, closing the door behind him as I ran into my room and got changed. It didn't take me very long, and it wasn't anything fancy, but at least it was clean. It would be fun to hang out with Shuichi again. Him and I hadn't had the chance to hang out like we used to, either. He spent his vacation with Yuki, and the rest of it he probably spent between work, Yuki, and Hiro. That was okay, though. That gave me plenty of free time to hang out with Tatsuha and Noriko. Of course, Tatsuha was almost always with me. I was his host after all, na no da! I couldn't just leave him all alone often. Of course, I did sometimes, when he wasn't allowed to go somewhere with me or he would have been bored, but that wasn't very often at all.

            "So, where are we gonna go?" I asked as I re-emerged from my room, grabbing Kumagoro and kissing the top of his forehead happily. Shuichi smiled and shrugged, opening the door and letting me out before leaving himself, shutting it behind him and stepping aside so I could lock it. Neither of us had a clue where we were going, but that was okay. Time spent with friends was time well spent.

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YIPPIES! I FINALLY GOT THIS CHAPTER DONE! I'm not sure about how it turned out, but I'm getting a negative feeling out of it. Oh well, at least I can go on to write some more now. Also, I've entered in that one novel-writing contest; so don't expect many (if any) new chapters over November. Also, my social life is picking up, and my friends want me to help them fan dub a series they like. I'll TRY to have another chapter done before November, but no promises.

PLEASE review! It gives me the inspiration to write even faster!


	13. I know you're trying

Disclaimers: Gravitation still does not belong to me but Christmas is getting closer as the days go by…

Notes: Back to YukixShuichi interlude. ^_^ Yuki's point of view this time.

/thoughts/

~something they're reading~

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer To Your God*~

            I sighed as I stepped out of my office, standing in the doorway a moment and waiting for my eyes to adjust to the bright light in the living room, contrasting to the dull light in my office and the harsh computer screen in my face. I hadn't finished my latest novel yet, but the headache my constant writing had brought on was enough for me to know that I should stop for the day. Shuichi had been quiet almost the whole day so I'd gotten quite a lot done.

            Speaking of which, where was he? He hadn't told me he was leaving, and I was sure he wouldn't be asleep at—I checked the clock quickly—seven fifteen. Sighing again I decided to check for him in the kitchen. While I was there I could always get something for my headache, too. It wasn't a good idea to deal with him when my head hurt like this.

            I blinked a something hit my foot, bending over just in time to stop the glass from falling over and spilling all over the floor. I would have killed if that had happened. I picked up the little note I found sitting next to it, unfolding it carefully. I caught the pills that fell from it as I unfolded it without even trying. I should have been expecting that.

            ~Hey Yuki! I knew curiosity would get the best of you if you saw this! I doubt you'll even be out here in time to see this, but oh well! If you are at least you'll know what's going on. I didn't want to disturb you while you were writing so I decided to go out with a couple of my friends and hang out. I thought it best to leave you a note instead of telling you in person, since that would disturb you. Since you're out here I figured you either wanted painkillers, coffee, or beer, so I left some painkillers here, there's coffee ready to be made, and I went out and restocked the fridge with a little more beer before I left.

            I probably won't be gone too long. Probably just go around with whoever wants to hang out. Probably Hiro or Ryuichi…or both. I'll try to be home by 7:30, but I can't be sure if I can be, you know I'm bad with time. I'll try REALLY hard, though! I'll see you after I get back…I hope!

            *heart* Love,

                        Shindo Shuichi~

            I couldn't help but smile a little at Shuichi's little note. I'd never had someone really care about me like that before, it was nice. However, I knew I didn't do anything like that for him, and it was a painful feeling. Maybe I'd take him out to dinner when he got back if he hadn't already eaten. I hadn't and I was actually hungry now. He WAS bad at keeping track of time, so maybe he would forget to eat. I doubted it, though.

            I took the pills with the water Shuichi left out for me before I walked into my bedroom and shifted through my clothes. I hadn't bothered to pick out anything remotely decent that morning when I'd got dressed, seeing as I knew I wasn't going to be going anywhere. However, Shuichi would throw a fit if I went out in public with him looking like I did. So…plain. He said it was belittling of my good looks. There must be something seriously wrong with him, I swear it. Even his flattery is strange.

            After that was over I went back into the living room and decided I wasn't going to go back to writing today, at all. I didn't feel like dragging my ass back in there today and letting the screen burn away at my eyes some more. So I ended up sitting on the couch waiting for him. Or at least, that's what I told myself. I knew I was waiting for Shuichi because I wanted to, but I didn't want to believe that. Therefore, I made up an excuse for myself in my mind. It kept me a little closer to sane, not admitting everything directly to myself. It was almost 7:30, anyway.

            I should have known he wouldn't be home on time. I barely registered the sound of the door clicking softly behind him around 7:45. I wouldn't have heard it at all if I hadn't been waiting for it. He jumped when he saw me, staring at me for a while before he dared move again.

            "Yuki, I didn't think you'd be done writing already," he offered softly, a smile appearing on his face as he loosened up and started towards the couch and me. "I guess I should say I'm sorry for being late then, huh?"

            "Didn't notice. I was just out here because I didn't feel like writing anymore and since you weren't here there wasn't anything better to do." He smiled a little brighter at that. He wasn't as stupid as we all made him out to be. He picked up on a lot of things without you having to tell him.

            "Okay, then I guess I'll just go back out again. See if I can get Hiro to come with me this time." I glared at him and he laughed softly, sitting down next to me. "I wouldn't."

            "So. Where did you two feel like reeking havoc on today?" Shuichi glared at me form where he was sitting. Amazing, he was almost close to my size when he was sitting down.

            "I didn't do anything stupid this time thank you very much!" he screamed, and I covered his mouth quickly.

            "They don't want to hear it," I snapped harshly, motioning my finger to indicate the rooms next to us. He pouted and looked pathetic so I let him go, leaning back against the couch and relaxing.

            "Sorry…we went to an arcade, mostly. Played a lot of DDR. I wish you had tried it Yuki! It's so much fun!" he cheered happily, his voice softer than it had been a couple seconds ago. I remember that game. I wouldn't go near that thing if my life depended on it. Dancing just…wasn't me. I hadn't even liked it much when I was younger. I felt awkward doing it, and I was insulted enough without having to make myself look like an idiot trying to dance.

            "Did you eat?" Shuichi blinked a couple times before nodding slowly, a genuinely confused look on his face.

            "Why, did you not?" I nodded and he frowned slightly, slumping down in his chair. "Oh. I'm sorry, Yuki." I sighed and reached over to stroke his cheek softly.

            "Come on, I still have to go get something to eat. Come with me?" He smiled brightly and nodded, clinging to my hand happily. I should have known that would make him happy. He could get himself dessert or something while I ate. Or he could always just sit there, his choice. Either way he seemed like he'd be content enough.

            When we finally sat down he was starting to worry me a little, I thought he was going to faint on me or something, he seemed so light-headed. Definitely something wrong with him. Oh well, he seemed happy enough. So, in his moments of bliss, my dinner and his dessert were eaten in near-silence. Only occasionally was the silence broken when Shuichi would mutter something to himself happily or find something he found worthwhile to say…which wasn't very often, surprisingly.

            For some reason, though, he wasn't quite himself on the drive home. I would have thought he'd go on and on about something or other the whole time, but only on the ride home did he even bother to speak to me like he normally did. He was a more energetic on the ride home than he had been on the way there. He'd barely talked on our way out.

            "Yuki, can we go somewhere else?" I glared at him. I'd taken him out to dinner. What more did he want from me? "What? I want to go somewhere else. Somewhere pretty and quite and romantic…"

            "No where's quite when you're around." He pouted at that, crossing his arms and turning to stare back out the window. I sighed and couldn't help but wonder what I did wrong. I took him out for dinner, couldn't he be happy for once? I was seriously trying, and he wasn't making it any easier for me.

            "Why don't you ever say it?" he asked suddenly, still staring out the window. I could see his reflection on the window as we stopped at a light. He looked dazed, staring out the window at nothing in particular, just staring and looking depressed. What the hell was he talking about? "Ah! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy, but…it's kind of unnerving sometimes…I can never be really sure…" I sighed and parked in front of some random pizza place.

            "Shuichi…" He sat up straight and blinked a couple times, as if registering the fact that we'd stopped. After a little bit he turned quickly, hair splaying around his face to land softly where it had been before. I reached out to him slightly and he was immediately in my arms, face buried against my shoulder. We stayed like that for quite a while. He wasn't crying or anything, just hugging me tightly.

            "I just want to hear it once," he whispered softly and I didn't make any move to show that I'd heard him. He should know by now that I wasn't going to say it. I just COULDN'T. I'd given him so much already; I wasn't about to let him know how much he meant to me. That would be giving him so much more power than he already had over me. Well, not really, but he'd be aware of just how much I'd do for him, and he…he could abuse me, just like Sensei had…

            I was so lost in my own thoughts I didn't realize when Shuichi let go of me and sat back up again, staring at me blankly. He shook the look away and smiled slightly. "I'm not expecting to hear you say it now or anything, but…just once, would be nice. Can you promise me that? That just once in our lifetime, you'll say that you love me?" I sighed and nodded, running fingers through my hair and I leaned back to stare at the roof of my car. What had I done to bring that on? Well, now I was bound to that promise. I'd have to live up to it SOMEDAY. "Okay then! Let's go! I still wanna go do something else before we go home!" he cheered happily, good nature restored. Good, I preferred it when he was happy like this. Of course I'd never tell him that, but there were many things I'd never tell Shuichi.

            "Then get out and go do it, I'm going home." Shuichi glared at me as I started the car, buckling his seatbelt again and pouting, crossing his arms and glaring at me the whole way back. He only stopped when we reached the house, parking. He sighed and leaned back in his seat, staring up at the roof. Wasn't that supposed to be my job?

            "I'm not leaving until we go somewhere. I want to spend more time with Yuki." I couldn't help the aggravated sigh as I opened the car door, undoing my seatbelt and glaring at him as I stepped out.

            "Do as you wish. It's either spend time with me inside or hope I get really bored and wait to spend time with me out here. Your choice, brat." Shuichi blinked at me, but undid his seatbelt and stopped me from shutting the door with his hand gently. I could have shut it still, but I might have hurt him. I wasn't willing to do that just to shut my car door.

            "You're not going to go back to writing?" I sighed and rolled my eyes, opening the door wider for him. He blinked a couple times, as if judging me, before stepping out. I closed the door behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist gently. He seemed satisfied enough, smiling back at me happily. "You're not writing?" he asked again and I sighed, letting go of him and making my way to my apartment.

            "Yes, I'm not writing, come on." I heard him run to catch up with me happily, attaching himself to my arm as I tried to open the door, affectively making the key miss the slot in my moment of surprise. I glared at him but he just smiled up at me happily, eyes expectant. I should have known he'd have some sort of plan for tonight. If I was lucky they wouldn't be anything too horrible.

            The second the door was shut behind us Shuichi let go of me, standing up on his tiptoes and kissing me, hands around my neck to keep his balance. There was a definite surprise. I wrapped my own arms around his waist and after what seemed like a blessed eternity he stopped, sliding back down to his own height slowly, a small smile lighting up his face.

            "It's been a while, huh?" I nodded my agreement, pressing him to the floor gently. It wasn't an unusual practice. I didn't tend to like walking after things had already started, anywhere was fine by me. Unfortunately, Shuichi had some restrictions placed on me. No public, no public facilities, no car, no friend's house, no relative's house, anything fun was out of the question.

            Staring down at him I remembered his request from the car. Why the hell wouldn't that leave me alone? Sighing I opened my mouth to say the words. I didn't know why, but I felt like they needed to be said.

            "I…" /need you. Want you. Can't stop thinking about you. Adore you. Worship you./ Shuichi blinked innocently, fidgeting a bit and tucking a piece of hair behind his ear, waiting anxiously. "I…" /love you./ "I'm sorry…I…I can't…say it." Shuichi shook his head and smiled happily. Genuinely, and I couldn't even begin to understand how.

            "I know, but you want to. Maybe one day you can actually say it, though." God, how'd I found someone like him? How could he ever have chosen ME?

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WHEE! I finished! Go me! I rule! I'm so happy! Oh yeah! This only took forever and a day…okay, three days but who's counting…There were a lot of hours put into it each day…I think…Oh well, I got it done, be proud!

Umm…I feel really bad begging begging (like, low-down begging) but anyone who's seen/read Fruits Basket (I've only see the TV series) PLEASE review my FB fic, I actually grew sort of attached to it and I'm kinda mad at it now…

I DUN EVEN KNOW WHY I GREW ATTACHED TO IT!!!!!!!! .


	14. Distorted reflections

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. I wish it did, but it doesn't. I'm saving my lunch money, though…

Notes: if you couldn't tell I type this before the fic, so if anything's wrong (in chapters previous or upcoming) please bare with me.

Aiko and Michael belong to me…

Back to Tatsuha's point of view

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I stared up at my ceiling, where a very large Sakuma Ryuichi poster stared back at me. Sure, it was no substitute for the real thing (which I desperately wanted back with me), but he was still hot as hell. That was my very favorite poster…which would be the reason it was on the ceiling above my bed. Aiko said she would be coming over today, which was a sort of relief. There wasn't anyone to talk to around here. Well, hardly. I'd sort of grown apart from most of my old friends, seeing as I was hardly ever home.

            Aiko was in my class in high school, and we were supposed to work together on a project over summer break. We'd gotten some done while I was still in Tokyo, but I completely forgot about it and we never finished it, so now that I was home she was going to come over here and see me. She told me to get things ready and wait for her, so I had. She was a good thirty minutes late already. I could only hope nothing had happened to her.

            Her and I had become good friends since high school started. She was nice, and smart, too. We worked well together on projects, and got along great. Not to say I didn't have any other friends, but she was the first friend I'd made in my class. I'd actually met most of my friends through her. Until a little into my sophomore year, I didn't realize just how many people thought I was cute since I was home-schooled. Until then I'd spent day and night working to try and be as good-looking as Sakuma Ryuichi so maybe he'd notice me one day.

            Sighing my hand traveled subconsciously to my mouth, eyes still focused on the picture above me. How could it be that only a day ago I had been at Sakuma Ryuichi's apartment, touching him, kissing him? Now that I thought back on it, it really was something amazing. He was so wonderful and…human…that it hardly occurred to me that he really was the same person from the concerts; I so rarely saw that side of him. I couldn't help but wonder what Ryuichi was doing. Was he thinking about me, or was he writing or something?

            "Earth to Tatsuha, anyone home? You couldn't have waited for us outside, you know!" Aiko demanded as I sat up, hands planted firmly on her hips as she glared at me. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for us to find this place? I wasn't expecting you to wait for us at the train station, but your font porch would have made it a lot easier to find you!" I blinked and noticed Michael standing in the doorway, peering around it shyly. Aiko obviously noticed I wasn't looking at her and turned to motion Michael inside.

            Michael was staying with Aiko's family for a while, as a foreign exchange student. He was from America, I think California or somewhere close to it. He was sort of shy, a nice contrast to Aiko's commanding nature. He was on the shorter side, with light brown hair and green eyes. I liked him, he was nice once he actually got used to you and started talking some.

            "I'm sorry, Aiko. It never occurred to me." Aiko returned to glaring at me as I spoke. Something told me I wasn't going to get out of this easily.

            "You owe me dinner for that. I wasted money driving all around this place looking for it. Your handwriting was so messy I could barely understand it! Wow, you really do like Nittle Grasper, huh?" She asked suddenly, eyes growing wide as she looked around my room. There was hardly any room to put any more posters up, and most of them were mostly covered, leaving just Ryuichi visible.

            "Wow," Michael echoed, glancing up at the small collection of Nittle Grasper posters on my ceiling. When I found I had no more room to put real posters on my wall I'd started putting them on my ceiling. Of course, all but the one over my bed were only mediocre posters. I'd have them on the walls or over my bed if they were really good.

            "Sorry about that concert raining out on you. I know how much you wanted to go. I heard they didn't even show up," Aiko offered conversationally, sitting down next to me and motioning for Michael to take a seat as well. Aiko didn't like to start working unless we had a good source of conversation already covered. That way we could stay on focus while we were working and all that junk.

            "Yeah, that was disappointing. I got to stay with my brother, though. So that was always a plus." Aiko hit me for that, glaring at me. She knew about my obsession with Nittle Grasper and my brother's 'live-in.' I'd never told her Shuichi was a boy, nor who my brother was, or even that I was obsessed with the main SINGER of Nittle Grasper, and not just the band itself. I felt no need to tell her I was gay, or that I was related to Yuki Eiri or Seguchi Tohma. It was my little secret.

            "You have to stop torturing your brother like that! How would you feel if you were in his shoes?" Michael just continued to stare at the posters as we argued, not wanting to get involved. From the slight color of his cheeks, I could tell he wasn't really comfortable being here.

            "Blessed to have someone like that." Aiko glared at me, but she was smiling slightly as she did so. She really was a nice person, just a little straightforward sometimes. "Hey, Michael, you ever hear any of Nittle Grasper's music?" I asked after a while. Michael hadn't been with Aiko for all that long, a month or two at best, and I was pretty sure Aiko hadn't felt the need to introduce him to the wonders of Nittle Grasper. She liked them, sure, but they weren't her favorite band or anything. I couldn't understand that, but she was entitled to her own opinion. She preferred Bad Luck, personally. Another reason I didn't feel like telling her who my brother was.

            Michael shrugged. "I don't know. She listens, I listen. I never bother to ask who we're listening to." I sighed and scooted off my bed, grabbing the nearest Nittle Grasper CD and showing it to him.

            "This is Nittle Grasper. This is the finest band you'll ever come across, with the coolest band members you could ever imagine. They sing the finest music, and have the finest members." Aiko smacked me for that, assuming I was talking about Noriko. Sure, Noriko was pretty, but she wasn't what I was looking at. I was also fully aware that Tohma wasn't all that bad looking himself, but Ryuichi was definitely the best looking of them all by FAR.

            "You stop scaring Michael like that! You freak out enough people with this obsession of yours daily!" Aiko scolded, grabbing the CD from me and flipping it open. I normally would have killed anyone who dared to touch my CD, but Aiko was harmless…for the most part. I rubbed the back of my head as she walked over to the stereo, putting it in and turning it on.

            "Have you ever met them in person, Tatsuha-san?" Michael asked as Aiko returned, handing me back my CD case. I nodded happily, pointing to the picture of Tohma on the CD case.

            "I've talked to him before. He's okay, a little freaky sometimes, though. He's all…businesslike and…I don't know how to explain it. Like, he can make you feel really small if he wants to." Michael nodded.

            "He only does that to you because you're a pain in the ass," Mika added as she walked past my room, scaring the shit out of me. When the hell had she gotten here? "I wasn't aware you were home yet. Not to worry, though. I got extra food since I knew you'd be coming home soon. Since you have friends over, I assume you can help me carry some groceries?" She asked as she materialized back in my doorway, arms empty whereas they had been carrying bags earlier.

            "I'll help!" Aiko cheered happily. She was active, and always willing to run an errand. I should have known she'd want to help. Mika smiled and nodded, glaring at me until I finally set down my CD and offered to help.

            "Michael, you can stay here if you want. We're just helping Mika unpack," I offered as he made a move to stand up, and he looked confused for a moment.

            "Can I help?" he asked softly and I nodded, motioning for him to follow. He did so and we all filed out of my room to follow Mika back outside. I didn't bother to turn off my music; we'd be back soon enough.

            "I haven't had time to introduce myself yet. I'm Mika, Tatsuha's big sister. You are?" she asked conversationally as she started handing out bags. Aiko smiled happily and passed a bag on to me.

            "I'm Aiko, and this is Michael," she indicated as she handed him a bag. "He's staying with my family for a while." Mika nodded, smiling as Aiko took the last bag she offered her, grabbing another of her own free will so Mika, Michael, and I only had to carry one each. "We're over here to finish a project we were supposed to do over summer. Tatsuha left before we could get it finished," Aiko continued as Mika closed the trunk to her car. "At least this gives Michael and I the chance to see his house, though. He was always coming over to work on it when he was in Tokyo."

            "Eh, I bet he has his reasons," Mika offered in my defense, motioning us to follow her to the kitchen, seeing as Michael and Aiko didn't know where it was. Aiko followed behind Mika, making conversation the whole way there. Michael and I followed a bit behind them. I swung my bag happily, grinning as we made our way down the halls. I could still hear my Nittle Grasper music as we walked past my room and I heard Mika make some sort of comment about it. I didn't care though. I was enjoying a nice summer day with friends I rarely got to see, even though we were both supposed to be working. She couldn't ruin my mood at the moment.

            "Pretty," Michael managed softly as we continued on our way and I looked over at him, waiting for him to elaborate. What was he talking about, exactly? He motioned his head towards the open yard and smiled slightly, blushing a little bit. He really didn't like talking to people sometimes, as I'd noticed earlier. He tended to keep more to himself. "It's pretty," he managed and I smiled.

            "Yeah, it is. You and Aiko should drop by in the spring some time and check it out. It's really beautiful then. That there's my sister's little garden," I offered as we walked past the small, stone-encircled area where Mika planted her own flowers. She offered to make Eiri and I little areas, too. They were the gloomiest of them all. Mine was mostly empty, seeing as I had cleared it out when I'd run out of time to keep it healthy. Eiri's, however, was full of weeds and dead plants. He hadn't touched his little garden since he was 15 years old. The rest of his time had been spent getting ready for his trip, and afterwards he stopped caring about it.

            "Could we?" he asked softly, still blushing. It was sort of cute, and it reminded me of when I first met Ryuichi. He was always blushing like that when he talked to people he didn't know very well. He and Michael actually seemed to have a lot in common…from what I had seen, anyway. I nodded happily and he smiled, a genuine little smile.

            "Thank you so much for your help," Mika offered as she hurried us all into the kitchen, handing her bag to me as I followed Michael inside to drop our things off. It was Mika's job to organize things. However, as the two of us retreated I felt someone grab onto the sleeve of my shirt, and Michael stopped as I did.

            "You two have to help out, too, you know. This is a lot of groceries for two girls to put away all by themselves," Aiko whined, letting me go. Mika laughed and blocked the doorway from us.

            "Let them be, Aiko. I didn't ask for any of your help. I'll be just fine." Sometimes I had to adore Mika for her understanding. She knew how much I wanted to be outside, or daydreaming about Ryuichi. As Mika moved I grabbed Michael's wrist and pulled him outside after me.

            "Come on, let's start working, Aiko," I offered once I was outside the door, watching Mika and Aiko start unpacking.

            "Wait until I'm done. You and Michael chat outside while me and Mika work, okay?" I could tell there was heavy sarcasm in her voice, but I took that as our sign to leave, dragging Michael around the yard to the pond and sitting down next to it.

            "Come on. You and I don't get to talk much. Leave the girls to organize, plan, and hide the food from us. Aiko's always so busy, we never do get to talk much." Michael blushed and sat down next to me, his hand reaching out slightly to touch the water. He smiled slightly and watched the ripples intently. "So…what's it like? Being so far away from home? Especially where people don't speak the same language?" I asked after a while of silence. He jumped a little bit, head jerking to look over at me. I guess he hadn't really been expecting me to bother him.

            "It's…different. Sometimes I really start to miss my family, but it's…fun being here. Aiko and her sister are really nice, as are her mom and dad. And…you're really nice to me, too." I smiled at him and dipped a finger in the water as well, watching the ripples my finger created collide with his and distort them both.

            "You seem like a really nice person, too. Maybe one day I'll get to go over where you live for a while. That would be nice." Michael nodded his agreement, smiling brightly.

            "That'd be great. I could show you all the fun places around there," he offered happily. I nodded and we both went back to watching the ripples in the water, and the distorted reflections they cast. "Tatsuha-san?" I blinked and looked over at Michael. He rarely started a conversation by himself. "I…I reall…"

            "Tatsuha! I think it's about time we started on our project, huh? Michael, you want to stay out here or come inside with me and Tatsuha?" Aiko screamed from the kitchen doorway. I could barely see her face, but I was pretty sure she was glaring at us.

            "Always at the wrong times, huh?" I asked, standing up and brushing the dirt off my pants. Michael just continued to stare at the water for a while, and I could see his distorted reflection from where I stood. "You can stay out here if you like, no one's rushing you, okay?" He was the deepest red I'd seen him yet, and he wouldn't take his eyes off the water for a second.

            Sighing I dropped back to my knees and hung my head to where I could actually see his face. I waved a hand in front of him and he jumped, looking over at me quickly. "I'm going inside. Feel free to follow. If not, you can stay out here and enjoy yourself," I offered and he nodded, still blushing like mad. "Okay then, I'm going to go talk to Aiko before she kills me." I sighed once again and got up, brushing off dirt as I walked to where Aiko was waiting impatiently. I had a feeling things were going to get more difficult.

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Okay. I have a feeling this is going to be the least-liked of all chapters in this fic, but I couldn't think of any way to get things moving than to have people to poke Tatsuha and make him actually do something. I think I've finally decided on the major conflict in this story, but I might not be able to do anything with it for a little while.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! It makes me so very very very very very very very happy!


	15. Even I need comfort sometimes

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me.

Notes: Told from Mika's point of view.

I'm sort of surprised I didn't get killed for adding Michael into chapter 14…

Anyone else notice I start a lot of my chapters off with people sighing O.o

I guess it's just a writing flaw of mine…

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I sat down in the living room. Tatsuha and his friends were out at dinner, and I'd been stuck eating dinner alone with my father. I'd been hoping they would stay over for dinner, but somehow Tatsuha had ended up owing Aiko money, so they went out without me. It never even occurred to Tatsuha that I might have wanted to go, too, or maybe they just wanted some time to themselves. Either way, dinner hadn't been very pleasant.

            Father didn't like the idea that I was siding with Eiri now, or with Tatsuha either. Originally he'd had Tohma and me on his side in trying to break Shuichi and him up, but now both of us were on their side. Why couldn't he see how much good this was doing him? I was seriously starting to doubt that he cared about our happiness at all. He'd also taken to insulting Tohma over dinner. I don't know what he was trying to achieve there, he used to like Tohma. I suppose he didn't like either one of us anymore.

            "I'm home!" Tatsuha cheered brightly, and I heard the door close behind him. "Hey Mika!" He practically sang, peering inside the doorway and smiling happily. He was always in such a good mood; I envied him for his ability to deal with this sort of thing so easily. He was willing to follow his heart no matter what anyone else told him to do. It was a very admirable trait, and it kept him from having to regret many of his decisions.

            "Welcome back. Your friends go home?" I asked from where I was sitting, not feeling the need to get up and greet him. He nodded and walked over to sit across from me. "So, what's up with Michael-kun? He didn't seem…well. He barely spoke at all." Tatsuha sighed and ran fingers through his hair, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling.

            "I wish I knew. He normally doesn't talk much." I nodded and Tatsuha tilted his head back down so he could see me. "Do you think there might be something wrong with him? He was really fidgety today. He's not normally like that." I smiled, Tatsuha wasn't as observant as I'd thought. I would have figured with his people skills he would have figured it out by now. I was thinking maybe he just didn't like talking around me, but Tatsuha made it obvious that he didn't talk much to him, either.

            "Maybe he just wasn't comfortable being here." I could see that Michael liked him, but it wasn't my place to tell him that. Michael would have to tell him by himself, when he was ready.

            "I guess so. So, how was your day?" he asked after a short while, changing the subject on me.

            "Decent, I guess. Talking with father wasn't much fun." He smiled nervously and brushed a bang back from his face.

            "Sorry I didn't take you with us to go out to eat, but I was hoping Michael might tell me what was wrong if it was just the three of us. I want to know what's bugging him. I don't like watching my friends suffer like that. I thought maybe it was because he was far away from home…but he said he didn't mind it." Standing up I crossed over to the couch where Tatsuha was sitting, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and holding him gently.

            "Don't worry about it. He'll tell you when he feels like it. I'm sure he doesn't like making you worry, either." Tatsuha nodded slightly against my shoulder, and we sat like that for a while. Tatsuha and I were close siblings; we weren't bothered by 'displays' such as this. Eiri probably would have shoved me off and told me to stop babying him already, but Tatsuha understood that I wasn't trying to baby him. I was just trying to help him, and comfort him. I hated watching my friends and family suffer just as much as Tatsuha did.

            "I can't wait to go back to Tokyo again," he stated after a long while, and I let him go. He sat up slowly and leaned back against the couch. "I know it's only been a day, but I want to see them all again. Almost all my friends live in Tokyo. Aiko, Michael, Shuichi, Ryuichi, Eiri…I'm even starting to miss Tohma," he finished with a little smile. "Wish dad didn't make me come back over breaks, even for a little bit. I hardly ever get to see him either way." I sighed and listened as he ranted. I knew this was Tatsuha's way of getting things out of his system. Eiri wrote, Shuichi cried, I slept; he just listed off his problems and how he felt on them.

            "Don't worry about it. It's only a week Tatsuha, you'll live. Careful, though, father's not happy about your meeting with Ryuichi-san." He sighed and closed his eyes. He was way too mature for someone his age at times, it seemed. He was still my little baby brother, to me, but he handled his own problems so well, so easily. I envied him for that. I was stuck handling both Eiri's AND my problems. At times he was more mature than Eiri, even. His eyes opened again as he spoke.

            "I know. He doesn't like the fact that Eiri and I like guys, but we can't help it. I'd like Ryuichi whether he was a girl, boy, whatever. I can't help it. Why can't he understand that? Wouldn't he have liked mom no matter what, either? Or did he just marry her for her looks?" I could see the tears building in the corner of his eyes as he spoke to me, but he wouldn't let them fall. His pride wouldn't let him.

            "He just doesn't think about it that way, Tatsuha. I'm sure if he did he wouldn't be so upset about it. I'll try to talk to him about it, okay? That's what I'm here for," I offered as I hugged him again, kissing his forehead.

            "Thanks Mika. I couldn't do what you do…" I blinked and Tatsuha sat up slightly, smiling up at me. "I couldn't leave the person I love behind to help someone else out like you do. I'm selfish like that. You're always here trying to help Eiri and me out; you're barely home with Tohma. I really appreciate your help. I'm sure Eiri does, too." I couldn't help myself as I started crying when he finished, and for once he held me and let me cry. He was one of the few people I let see the weak side of me, the side that needed his comfort. To everyone else I was a natural born bitch, but I was human, too. I got hurt and disheartened like everyone else. There were times it built up enough that even the smallest thing would start me crying. I was under enough pressure to snap, and I was surrounded by so much hate and suffering in just my family. I just couldn't help myself sometimes…

Neither Tatsuha no Eiri had ever offered me a single word of gratitude before. I never even considered how much I really was giving up for them. The sinking realization was enough to make me snap all by itself. I didn't regret it though. The look on Tatsuha's face…I couldn't leave this problem to blow up in his face and hurt him.

            "Thank you. I don't want to be stuck here doing this, it's horrible, but I wouldn't dare leave you to do it yourself, Tatsuha. I…" I hugged him tighter, closing my eyes so I didn't have to look at him. I hadn't cried 'in public' since I was a teenager, it was almost embarrassing, but I couldn't help it. Even someone like me wanted a little bit of gratitude. I wasn't helping them for the praise, but it was nice to know that my efforts weren't completely disregarded. Eiri used to yell at me for trying to help him, but I tried not to let it get to me.

            "I know. Thanks for trying so hard, though. I don't think I'd do it. Eiri and I don't ever do that much for you, do we?" I shook my head slowly. Somehow everything had turned around on me. I was the one that needed the comforting now, and Tatsuha was acting like my older sibling. It was embarrassing, but at the same times not. Even I needed comforting every once in a while. Tatsuha was the only person to offer it to me in a long while. "Okay then. Tomorrow you and I are going to do something! You deserve a break, and I need to stop thinking about Ryuichi! It'll be a family day…sorta. You in?" I sat up and wiped my tears quickly, nodding. Tatsuha was smiling brightly, practically bouncing.

            "I guess that'd be alright…"

            "Yay! We can start off and go to breakfast! Then we can go out shopping, since I know you like to shop. Then we can eat lunch at the mall, and then cruise around there, and be back home for dinner. I'll pay for it all. It can be my way of saying thanks!" I smiled a little in return to Tatsuha, whose smile only got brighter.

            "Thank you." I was regaining my typical self now, after my little cry I was feeling refreshed and much less depressed than I had before. My problems didn't seem so bad anymore.

            "No prob. If only Eiri'd get off his butt and come, we could make it into a real day to remember! But that's okay, you and me haven't hung out in a while!" Tatsuha went on planning what we were going to do tomorrow, and I couldn't help but smile as I listened to him. Every two seconds he would change his mind on where we should eat, or shop, or when we should eat, or when we should get up, ect. It was cute, the way he continued on and on about it.

            "If you're planning on getting up early, don't you think you should go to sleep soon? It's almost 11 and you're planning on being up when, 5:30?" Tatsuha blinked a couple times and checked his watch. He stared at it a while like it was somehow lying to him before blinking a couple more times.

            "Wow. Later than I thought…Guess I should apologize for being out so late then, huh?" I shrugged and pointed a finger to his room.

            "I don't care, and dad doesn't have to know. Now, sleep so you don't end up falling asleep on me tomorrow. A promise is a promise Uesugi Tatsuha." He smiled and got up, pushing my arm back down by my side.

            "I know that, I wasn't planning on it. I'd go even if I didn't go to sleep tonight. I wouldn't break a promise I made to you, Eiri, Shuichi, Tohma, Ryuichi, Michael, Aiko, anyone I cared about. You better sleep, too. You tend to sleep almost as much as I do."

            "That's only because I don't have anything better to do." Tatsuha smiled and made his way out the door, heading towards his room, I suppose. I sighed and got up, making my way towards my own room. Tomorrow should be fun. 'Hanging out' with Tatsuha was always fun.

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Done! Sorry if this chapter isn't that great, I wrote it in a bit of a rush. My mom is demanding I go to bed soon, and I might as well. I've been sick recently. I just wanted to show a bit of family bonding here, and create a sort of closeness between Mika and Tatsuha. Somehow I ended up getting their relationship from my brother's and mine. We get along really well, and always try to help each other out.

PLESE review! I need them as inspiration! They fuel me on to write faster!!! *gets ready to beg…more*


	16. Athough you'll never say it

Disclaimers: Gravitation still does not belong to me.

Notes: Um…it might be a while between updates this month, since I'm in that Nanowrimo thing, but I'll try my hardest to squeeze some time in for this fanfic, too. ^_^

I'm starting this chapter off differently! ^_^ Shuichi's point of view again.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I yawned as I sat on the couch, watching TV. I'd been watching TV since I'd woke up that morning, and I was starting to get very bored with it. There was nothing to do, really. Yuki had locked himself back in his office so I was stuck entertaining myself. Nothing was really on TV around this time, and I'd played Tetris until my head hurt. Therefore, I was stuck watching what had to be the worst TV show of the century. Hey, it had to be better than infomercials, at least.

            I quickly decided maybe it WASN'T better than infomercials and crossed the room to shut it off. I needed to get off of that couch sometime! I walked over to the large window and peered outside, staring at nothing in particular. The sun was setting, turning the sky millions of soft, beautiful colors. It was pretty, but not the most entertaining of things to watch. Although it did keep me entertained for a while. However, as the sky turned a deep blue and the sun disappeared there was nothing left to watch, minus the city lights.

            I sighed and placed my hands against the cool glass gently, knowing Yuki would kill me if he saw me. He didn't like it when I smudged up his windows, and he normally forced me to wash them for him afterwards. Yuki'd spent more time in his office than normal since dinner the other day. I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut. I probably pissed him off or something, why else would he be avoiding me like this?

            I jumped as I felt Yuki's arms wrap around me gently. Damn, I should have known I'd get caught.

            "I thought I told you not to do that," he stated harshly and I removed my fingers from the window, glad there were no marks. I didn't want to make Yuki any madder than he already was. He nodded and let go of me before I could say anything, turning to leave. I turned around as well, and watched as he dropped something on the table before continuing to his office again.

            Curious I ran over to see what it was quietly, picking it up and looking up at Yuki as I turned it over subconsciously so that I could see the front. "I thought you might like that," Yuki offered quietly, not looking back at me before opening his office door and disappearing again, shutting the door quietly behind him.

            As soon as the door was closed behind him I sat back down on the couch, examining my little present. It was a little picture, not any bigger than a small book. It was quite well done, surprisingly. Yuki'd never told me he could draw. I learned something new about him every day, it seemed.

            I smiled as I realized what it was off. It was a picture of me, sitting with my legs spread slightly, elbows resting on them as my hands hung between them in a relaxed fashion. I was smiling slightly, hair swaying slightly with an obviously small breeze. Small wings were folded to my sides, brilliantly white against the dark bricks behind me and the dark shading used on everything else. Only the lightest shading was visible on them, making them prominent in the picture.

            "Yuki." I set the picture down on the edge of the table and stood up again, walking over to Yuki's office. I turned the door handle slowly, glad that he hadn't locked it. I peered inside cautiously, catching sight of Yuki writing. He didn't look any different than he did every other day, which was a bit of a relief to me. For some reason I kept on thinking he was doing something really secret in here that I wasn't supposed to know abo…oh. Well that explained a lot.

            I made my way into his office as quietly as I could manage, which must have been quiet enough since he obviously didn't hear me. When I was trying to sneak in was the only time I was glad his office was so big. "Thank you," I offered as I wrapped arms around his neck gently. He jumped at the contact, standing up and turning to glare at me almost immediately.

            "What the hell are you doing in here?" I blinked a couple times as Yuki continued to glare at me. I could have sworn he was blushing. I smiled and shrugged.

            "You never gave me a chance to say thank you for the wonderful present," I offered happily. Yuki swore and sat back down, returning to his writing. I sighed and sat down next to him, watching him as he worked. It wasn't any more entertaining than watching that TV show, but as long as Yuki was around I was content.

            "What are you still doing here?" he demanded after a while, glaring at me.

            "Watching you work. I'm bored so I might as well." He sighed and went back to his typing, ignoring me. That was okay; I wasn't expecting him to acknowledge my presence any. However, there was still something that was bothering me. "Yuki?" he didn't so much as glance over to show that he'd heard me. "Are you mad at me?" I finished softly, leaning my head against his arm; my chair was so much lower than his.

            I heard the clicking of the keys stop and the sound of his laptop working before it was silent. It stayed that way for a long while, and it wasn't a good silence. It was one of those uncomfortable silences, when you're afraid of what will happen when someone speaks again.

            "I gave you a present, didn't I?" I smiled slightly and nodded, wrapping my arms around his. "No, I'm not mad," he offered after another silence, considerably shorter than the other one. "Why'd you think that?" I shrugged and let go of him, sitting up. I kept my hands over his, however

            "You've been avoiding me lately. I thought you were mad at me about the other day…" He sighed and ran fingers through his beautiful blonde hair.

            "I've been thinking." I nodded and stood up again, walking to the back of his chair and wrapping arms back around his neck.

            "You…don't really mind me being here, do you?" He shook his head and went back to typing. We stayed like that for a while, me reading over his shoulder while he worked, kissing the top of his head every so often. His typing was slower than normal, but I guessed it was just because he was having troubles writing. He has his occasional case of writers block, after all.

            After a couple minutes he stopped typing and buried his face in his hands, not making a sound. Immediately I let go of him and moved to sit in front of him, squeezing between his chair and writing desk (and also underneath him, seeing as he was leaning on his desk).

            "What's wrong, Yuki?" I asked softly, reaching a hand up to rest on his shoulder, my other hand resting on his knee. "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong." Yuki shook his head again and sat back up, sighing and staring at the screen blankly. His breathing was considerably heavier, but he showed no outward signs of it.

            "Shuichi, leave," he demanded softly, pointing to the door. I couldn't help the pang of guilt and rejection I felt at that moment, but I smiled anyway. I wanted to help Yuki, but I'd only make things worse if I stayed there, I understood. I wasn't helping him at all.

            "Okay. I'll…see you later then," I offered softly, making my way across the room slowly. As I shut the door behind me I leaned against it and sighed. Pushing myself away from the door I walked back to the couch, lying down and burying my face in my pillow. He was mad at me, I could tell. He didn't have to lie to make me feel better; he should know that by now. Why couldn't he have just told me to leave from the beginning? It would have been easier.

            I reached over and picked up the picture he'd drawn for me from the edge of the table, flipping over onto my back. He said he'd just been thinking, but what in the world could have him so stressed out? He was up before me and asleep after me, I hardly ever got to see him anymore. I didn't care if he said it anymore, I just wanted to be able to see him every once in a while. I didn't know he'd disappear from me like this just over that. If I would have, I would have kept my big mouth shut and never said a word about it.

            It had to have been a half hour later when I heard Yuki's office door open and close. I sat up almost immediately, staring at Yuki as he stood in front of his office door, staring back at me. "I'm not mad at you," he stated firmly, as if reading my thoughts from earlier, crossing the room to sit down next to me on the couch. I sat up quickly so he could sit comfortably. "I'm not, okay," he stated again, and I nodded, not looking up at him.

            "Okay…"

            "It's just…I've been thinking about a lot of things. About…things I can't do, and the things you do for me. And the things I want to be able to say, and the things I want to be able to do for you. How can you be happy like this?" I smiled and crawled over to where Yuki was sitting, burying my head under his arm so that he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

            "I'm happy because I know, even if you don't say and do the things I dream about, I know that some part of you wants to. You're willing to stay here with me, despite all my bad points, right? Well, I'm willing to do the same for you. You may complain about my bad points all the time, but they're who I am. If I were so annoying you'd tell me, right? You wouldn't let me stay here." Yuki nodded and I felt his arm tighten around me. "Well, I'm willing to live with you despite the fact that you don't tell me anything on how you feel, or treat me like royalty. I'm here because I like the rest of you, and I know you must like at least a part of me, or I wouldn't still be living here." I finished softly, hoping Yuki wouldn't get mad at me for assuming he liked me. You could never really tell with Yuki, sometimes.

            "I…" I blinked as Yuki hugged me tightly, burying his face in my neck. I wrapped my arms around him gently and we stayed like that for a while. I could feel Yuki's breath against my skin, and the wetness dampening my neck slowly. I kept my mouth shut and just enjoyed the moment. I hated seeing Yuki cry, but it felt wonderful to know that he needed me. That's why I'd wanted to hear it. I wanted to know for sure that he needed me as much as I needed him. I could hope, guess, and dream as much as I wanted, but I could never be sure. He was always so silent about it. "I don't think you're horribly annoying. Maybe sometimes, but…it's too quiet around here without you being annoying like that. I'm sorry I can't be what you want, really sorry. It seems like I'm the only person getting everything I want out of this…" I shook my head and held him tighter.

            "No no no. I enjoy every day here, really I do. I would never trade it for anything."

            "Not even if it meant I'd tell you how I felt?" I shook my head again and smiled.

            "Not even if you told me you love me until you couldn't breath anymore. I want to be able to come home to this house forever."

            "Me too." I smiled and lay back down, dragging Yuki to lie down on top of me, pulling as much of the blanket as I could over us, still holding him.

            "Stay here with me," I practically begged and he didn't make any sort movement otherwise.

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YIPPIE! I finally got this chapter done! Dialogue is my killer. Okay, I don't really know where I got the idea to have Yuki draw him a picture, but I decided it was an idea I didn't want to trash. I want as much of this to be original as possible, and if by some strange coincidence I DID steal that idea from a fanfic, sorry! Okay! So I'll be slow with updates for a while, but I'll seriously try. Too many ideas at once.

PLEASE review! It's really motivational for me!


	17. Returning, to my home away from home

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me, but I'm working on a potion that will make me switch lives with Maki Murakami.

Notes: Um…THE RETURN OF MICHAEL!!!

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I took a look around my room, which was unsurprisingly bare. Well, not entirely. Posters still decorated every wall, and all the things I couldn't possibly pack were still sitting where they had been yesterday. I had just finished packing a good ten minutes ago, and I was out of things to do, seeing as it was all packed away in little boxes. Mika was off running them to my house today; I didn't see why she couldn't take me there with them. Then again, if she were going to then I'd have packed yesterday and would have wanted to go then, so I would have packed the day before, and I would have wanted to go then, until I ended up going home simply to pack. Therefore, they were strict on keeping me there a full week.

            I hated being stuck there for training. I mean, it wasn't even supposed to BE my burden; it was my brother's job. However, seeing as Eiri didn't feel the need to grace us with his presence often, I was stuck doing it for him. Twice the chores, twice the work, twice EVERYTHING. Oh well, I was going back to Tokyo tomorrow. Everything else could be forgotten in favor of that.

            Sighing again I fell back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling where Sakuma Ryuichi stared back at me. True, it was no replacement for the real one, but it was the closest I could have until tomorrow. Then I could kiss him and touch him and hold him as much as I wanted. Until then I would just have to wait. I'd called him earlier, right after I'd gotten done packing, but he'd been gone. He was probably at work, or something along that line. He was normally at work when I called him.

            Tokyo was where I felt at home, seriously. Not Kyoto, where I'd been born and raised for 15 years of my life, but Tokyo, where I spent my school-time. Where Mika, Eiri, all my friends and family were within reach. Where I could visit my friends without having to hop on the earliest train. Where I could actually talk with my brother and sister without having to deal with father trying to get their attention and keep them away from me. I'm sure he wasn't TRYING to pull them away from me when he did that, but when they went to see what he wanted they normally ended up pissed off enough that they didn't feel like talking to me anymore, and shut themselves in their rooms.

            I jumped as my cell phone rang, so lost in my thought that it startled me. Quickly I sat up and dug it out of my pockets, fingers working too fast so that I was clumsy with it. It probably would have taken me less time if I hadn't been rushing. However, I was hoping it would be Ryuichi calling me back. It had been a while since I had last talked to him.

            "Hello?" I was sure I sounded as hopeful a I was, and I was a little bit disappointed when Michael answered from the other side, not Ryuichi. Sure, Michael was a close friend and I was glad I could talk to him again, but Ryuichi was Ryuichi. There was a big difference between the two of them.

            "Hi, Tatsuha?" he asked softly, and I could almost picture him standing in Aiko's room, clenching the phone tightly and pacing softly, a slight blush over his cheeks. He hardly ever used the phone, Aiko said. He had never called me before, so I was a little surprised he had this time.

            "Yeah?" There was a long pause after that, and I could hear Aiko talking in the background. I could sort of hear Michael, too, but I couldn't pick out anything they were saying. Sighing I lied back down, staring at my poster as Michael and Aiko continued to talk. I had a feeling this could take a while.

            "Um…you're coming back to Tokyo tomorrow, right?" Michael asked softly after a while, and I almost didn't catch it. As a matter of fact, I had to ask him to repeat himself and he did, even softer this time.

            "Yeah. I'll be moving back where I was staying for the school year last time." More talking between Aiko and Michael. I got ready to wait some more, singing a Nittle Grasper song in my head to bide the time, remembering the concert Ryuichi had given me after we'd just met. I pictured him singing it in my head as I waited, the life in those pretty blue eyes of his imprinted forever in my memory.

            "Do you want to go do something tomorrow, then? Aiko's got lessons, so I'm going to be here by myself…" I smiled as Michael finally spoke up. It was rare that Michael would want to hang out with ANYONE. Like I said, he was a very quiet, shy individual. However, I was supposed to do something with Ryuichi tomorrow. There was no way I could turn either of them down. They were both too sweet to do that.

            "Do you mind if one of my friends tags along?" I asked hopefully. There was always an easy way out of things like this, and I'd hit it. If Michael didn't want to be around someone he didn't know, I could always hang with Ryuichi later that day, after Michael went back home.

            "Um…not really," he answered after a short while. There was no conversing with Aiko this time, and I was a little surprised. He normally needed someone backing him up before he made a decision. He thought too much on things, it seemed. Too much on what the other person wanted and not on what he wanted. He was afraid to say what he wanted when you asked him, so he needed someone to tell him it was all right and he wasn't going to be hated for stating his opinion on something.

            "Good. I'll ask him when he calls me. So what do you want to do? See a movie?" I asked conversationally, trying to get Michael to throw out some ideas as well. Just asking him what he wanted to do would result in him conversing for a while with Aiko again.

            "That's good," he answered quickly, and I could have sworn I heard him breathing over the phone. Was he sick? I decided not to push it as he started to list off a few good movies that were playing at the theater around both of us. We normally went there, since the walk was about the same distance for all of us. I think I had to walk a little bit farther, but that was okay.

            "Alright then. Dinner and a movie. My sister always gives me money to spend my first day in Tokyo." I heard Michael make a small noise of agreement before the conversation died off and we both agreed it was time we hang up. So, we exchanged good-byes and did so.

            I placed my cell phone on my pillow, wanting it in close reach for when Ryuichi called. There was seriously nothing to do around here, other than listen to Nittle Grasper music and daydream, and all my Nittle Grasper CDs (not to mention my stereo) were in the back of Mika's car. That left me with daydreaming. I should have at least DRIVEN with Mika to Tokyo to drop off my things, but I hadn't thought of it. Then I could have said hi to Ryuichi and I wouldn't be stuck at home waiting for his phone call.

            It must have been an hour (or around 6 daydreams) later when the phone rang again, and I reached over to pick it up quickly. I was still waiting for Ryuichi's phone call as diligently as I had been when Michael had called me. "Hello?"

            "Hi Tatsuha!" I smiled brightly as I recognized Ryuichi's voice on the other end. All my waiting had finally paid off, Ryuichi had called me back. I remember, about a month or two ago this would have been nothing more than a dream to me. "You're coming home tomorrow, right na no ka!" He asked energetically, waking me up from the semi-dazed state I had entered through my daydreaming.

            "Yep. I should get there around 1." Ryuichi cheered happily on the other end as I finished, screaming English cheers to Kumagoro happily, obviously covering the phone. If he hadn't been I would be deaf by this point. He could be loud when he wanted to be. It was a part of being a singer, I'm sure.

            "Yay! What does Tatsuha want to do?" I sighed and ran fingers through my hair, twirling a strand absently around my first finger slowly.

            "Actually, one of my friends wanted to hang out with me tomorrow. We're going to dinner and a movie. He doesn't mind if you come." Ryuichi's excited squeal was indication enough that he wanted to go with us.

            "I get to meet one of Tatsuha's friends na no da!" He cheered happily, and I could picture him twirling happily as he spoke. He tended to do that a lot when he was excited on the phone. I'd watched him do it a couple times while I'd been staying with him. "Ryuichi missed Tatsuha a lot while he was gone," he said in a softer, more serious voice after a while.

            "I missed Ryuichi, too." He laughed softly in response and I finally released my hair. "I have to go by the house before I go anywhere else tomorrow, so I'll go over to your house afterwards, okay? I'll have to call Michael from there."

            "Okay. Is Tatsuha's friend named Michael na no ka?"

            "Yeah, he's an exchange student from America." Ryuichi was immediately bouncing off the walls again. "I wish Aiko was coming too, you might like her. She sort of reminds me of Ukai-san, from what I've heard about her. Ryuichi made a sound of interest from over the phone, and I couldn't help but laugh. He laughed as well, and afterwards the conversation continued on dully.

            We spent a good couple hours talking on what we'd been doing that week. My week had, of course, been fairly uneventful, but Ryuichi had a hundred and two things he wanted to tell me about that he'd done. He asked me a little about my trip with Mika, and we spent a good while talking about that, too. Sad. That was my highlight of the week. Ryuichi was telling about all these new songs he'd been able to write (he said most of them stayed in the Nittle Grasper tradition of being both upbeat and sad at once). I personally think that trait is why Nittle Grasper is so popular and wonderful. The blending of energy and sadness carried beautifully by Ryuichi's perfect voice. What more could you ask for?

            Other than a guitarist, as Shuichi had felt the need to point out.

            After we were done retelling our weeks, Ryuichi wanted to know everything there was to know about Michael and Aiko. It would have been a lot easier, if I had remembered a lot more things about either of them. They were in my class, they were my age, and they lived in the same house. I could tell what they looked like and their personalities, but I was almost clueless when it came to where Michael was from, exactly. I was only taking guesses.

            "Well, Tatsuha had better stop talking to Ryuichi or he's going to fall asleep tomorrow na no da!" Ryuichi ordered after what had to have been the fourth or fifth hour of conversation. Glancing at my watch I was surprised we'd been talking until a little past 1 in the morning!

            "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll see you when I get back tomorrow."

            "Yeah, see ya!" and we hung up. I set my cell phone on the dresser next to my bed, closed my eyes, and slept. Tomorrow was going to be eventful, to say the least.

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YES! DONE AGAIN! I started working on this at school, but I didn't get to save any of it, so I rewrote what I had tonight and finished it up. GO ME! Not really, but oh well. This chapter wasn't as much DIALOGUE as some things, but I still dislike it.

. Dialogue just KILLS me in fanfics/stories!

PLEASE be kind and review. Reviews help fuel me on, and make me more self-confident

(self-confidence=faster updates/less procrastinating)


	18. I'm afraid of you

Disclaimers: Only Michael, Aiko, and the plot belong to me. Gravitation STILL doesn't belong to me.

Notes: um…this is going to be told through Michael's POV, so you get an idea of how he's dealing with the things going on and how he feels. Some of you WON'T be surprised…

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I looked around nervously as I waited for Tatsuha and his friend to show up. I hadn't wanted to go in the first place, really I hadn't. I was scared, but Aiko had told me I had to. She had insisted that it would be good for me to spend more time with Tatsuha without her to rely on. She insisted this would be our 'very first date,' but I didn't want it to be! I was glad one of his friends was coming with him. I was too shy to be stuck alone with him.

            See, I liked Tatsuha…a lot. He reminded me of an old friend of mine. He moved to another state a couple years ago. I'd really liked him. And yes, I'd liked him in a way I wasn't supposed to. I…I sort of told him that, and we started growing apart. I think he was afraid I'd do something weird, and then he moved.

So now I was starting to fall for Tatsuha. I'd only be in this country for a while, but I couldn't help myself. He was everything my friend used to be, and more. Dark hair, pretty eyes, sweet personality, and the ability to put up with me. I hadn't always been THIS shy; I just sort of stopped talking to people after Casey moved. I was afraid they'd drift away from me like he had, so I drifted away from them myself. Aiko wouldn't let me, though, and demanded that I make friends here at least. However, that fear was keeping me from wanting to spend any time alone with Tatsuha. I was afraid I WOULD do something weird.

            "Hey Michael, what's up?" I jumped as I heard Tatsuha behind me, spinning around quickly. I guess I must have looked as confused as I felt because he laughed nervously and pointed to what I guess must have been his friend. "Sorry, I should have told you we were coming from Ryuichi's house, huh?" So…his name was Ryuichi. It sounded sort of familiar, but I couldn't place from where.

            "I guess so," I managed after a while, having a feeling that I should say something. Tatsuha smiled and reached over to pat my shoulder reassuringly. I felt my cheeks grow hot immediately. I was only wearing a tank top; I could feel his fingers against my skin as he touched me. It was…too close. I was afraid of him. I was afraid of hoping for too much, and getting less than I wanted and ending up hurt. I was afraid of hoping for anything at all.

            "Oh, sorry. This is my friend Ryuichi. Ryuichi, this is my friend Michael." I nodded and tried to get past my inner thoughts to say hello, but I was beaten to it.

            "Hi Michael!" I blinked and stepped forward suddenly, staring hard at the person next to Tatsuha. He was shorter than the both of us, with greenish-brown hair, wearing a tee shirt, jeans, and sunglasses.

            "Did you…just speak English?" I asked cautiously, not bothering to think of it in Japanese. Ryuichi nodded happily and held up three fingers.

            "I lived in America for three years." I couldn't believe it! It had been so long since I'd been able to speak without thinking. This was great! He spoke English, and not heavily accented English, either! "I'm better with English than Japanese, actually. That's why I figured this would be easier on you. You wouldn't want to try and figure out my Japanese. Kind of sad, since I'm Japanese, huh?" I laughed and shook my head, feeling much more at ease now that I was in a familiar situation again.

            "But you're so good at it! It's hard to hear your accent at all, it's amazing! Besides, everyone has problems with their own language sometimes. There are times I just can't think of the work I want or get lost in my own sentences because I just can't seem to make them understandable."

            "Like right then," we both offered at once, laughing. Tatsuha seemed lost in our conversation, but he seemed happy enough, leaning against the wall as we talked. Mostly about nothing, just getting acquainted. We both jumped as Tatsuha whistled for us, holding up the tickets to the movie.

            "If you guys don't want to see the movie, fine, but I have tickets if you do." Both of us dropped the conversation and ran over to where he was standing, following him into the theater. There was no way I was going to make Tatsuha buy something for me and then not use it. That was incredibly rude. We'd all decided we'd go out to eat after the movie, that way we could go to one of the earlier showings.

            We'd also decided to go to something I'd never seen, that way we all had to suffer through it if it was bad, and we could ALL be surprised. Therefore, we'd ended up going to see one of those 'big hit' movies that I'd just happened to miss. I was a wuss, that wasn't necessarily my fault.

            "How about right here?" Tatsuha asked after a while of walking upward, pointing to a row of seats. I nodded and Ryuichi cheered his agreement happily. I made my way down the row a little so we were near the middle and I heard Tatsuha laugh softly. "Okay, now that we've established Michael is on one end, who do you want to be in the middle?" I blinked and Tatsuha motioned to himself and Ryuichi. "Who do you want to sit next to? Ryuichi and you seem to get along, but we've known each other for a while longer.

            "You," I answered softly, and I was sure I was blushing again. Tatsuha nodded and followed to sit down next to me, and Ryuichi sat down next to him happily, bouncing with energy. We all talked for a while about nothing before the movie started, and Ryuichi had been right. It took me a while to understand his Japanese. Tatsuha seemed to get it, but he didn't have to worry about translating it back into any other language.

            The movie was actually pretty good, but also longer than we'd thought. Eventually Tatsuha ended up playing around, poking me when something scary/surprising happened. I think I screamed a couple times, and he just laughed quietly. It was actually really fun, even though he did really get me once or twice (he normally ended up poking me too early or late and it didn't work).

            "Well that was fun, huh?" Tatsuha asked as the movie ended, stretching as we all walked down the aisle. I nodded and he rested his hands on his hips as we walked along, turning to smile at me. "You jumped a couple times. So'd Ryuichi. You guys were too funny," he offered happily, and I smiled slightly in return.

            I screamed as I tripped, catching onto a chair so I didn't fall on my head or something. I blinked as I registered Tatsuha's arm around my chest, looking over at him. He was leaning down next to me and he let go when he saw I'd caught myself.

            "You okay?" he asked worriedly, reaching a hand out to rub my arm gently. I knew that Tatsuha must have noticed my blush by then and he stopped, merely holding onto my arm. "You're not hurt, are you?" I shook my head slowly, letting go of the chair and reaching my hand back to cover my ankle. God I hated being such a klutz sometimes!

            "Hey assholes, out of the middle of the aisle!" I blinked and looked up at the people passing us, who glared at me in return. Tatsuha also watched them go. He didn't look too happy about it.

            "Assholes," he threw back when they were gone, and I screamed as he picked me up carefully, sitting me down on the chair. "You'd think they didn't give a damn about anyone but themselves," he spat again, standing up and leaning against the back of the chair in front of me. "You /gonna/ be okay?" I nodded, leaning over to rub my ankle slowly. It just hurt a little bit, really.

            "Yeah, it doesn't hurt that much…" He nodded, smiling. I looked down at the floor as we waited, blinked as something was thrust into my vision. I sat up and looked up at the owner, recognizing it as being Tatsuha's friend Ryuichi, holding a small pink rabbit in front of my face. Smiling he leaned it's head forward so that it kissed my nose, giggling slightly.

            "Kumagoro says get better soon na no da!" he cheered happily in Japanese, waving the bunny to indicate that it was supposed to be Kumagoro. I laughed softly and nodded, standing up. My ankle still hurt a little bit, but that was okay. Walking would probably make it go away anyway.

            "I thought I told you to leave him at home," Tatsuha scolded his friend as we continued out of the theater, and I could feel his hand against my back as we walked. I couldn't help but smile happily at the thought that Tatsuha was trying to protect me. Maybe I had a tiny chance after all. No! I couldn't think that, or I'd just get my hopes up and hurt myself. They continued arguing the whole way to the restaurant, and eventually Tatsuha's arm disappeared. This was all so much fun, I hadn't done anything like this in a while. Maybe Aiko was right and I really DID need to spend more time hanging out without her.

            We didn't go anywhere special for dinner, just graced the nearest McDonalds with our presence. Some weren't as happy as others about us being there, but we enjoyed ourselves, joking and talking. I felt really at ease hanging out with Ryuichi. I didn't know why, but his personality just made it a lot easier to be myself. Maybe it was his childishness that assured me that it was all right to look stupid every once in a while, and Tatsuha wouldn't mind it at all.

            "So, did you enjoy yourself?" Tatsuha asked after we'd finished eating. We were just sitting and talking now, not wanting to get up just yet. I nodded happily and he smiled. "Good. You know what, I haven't seen you so happy in all the time you've been here. You have a really pretty smile. Try and open up a bit more," he offered supportively, getting up and motioning for Ryuichi and me to follow. My cheeks were burning and I didn't look up again from the table.

            "Tatsuha, can you wait for us outside na no ka?" I heard Ryuichi ask quietly and I heard Tatsuha's footsteps as he left. It was silent for a while, minus the noise of people behind me. However, the background noise made things worse since no one talked for a while after Tatsuha left. "You…like him, don't you?" I jumped and looked up suddenly, staring at Ryuichi fearfully before nodding slowly. I didn't want to be talking about this! It was embarrassing! He shook his head slowly and stood up, walking over to where I was sitting and kneeling down next to me. "That's what I thought," he stated as he rested his hands on my knees. Did he…like me? Was that what this was all about? "Have you told him that?" I shook my head slowly and I almost screamed as Ryuichi pressed his forehead against his hands.

            "Wha…what are you doing?" I asked nervously, looking around quickly at all the people staring at us. I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment.

            "I like him, too." My eyes grew wider as I stared down at him, clenching tightly around the sides of my chair.

"Someone's going to get hurt like this," I offered softly, standing up. "Have you told him?" Ryuichi didn't move from where he was sitting, hands now by his sides.

            "It's gone be his choice. Which one of us gets left behind…" he stated softly from the floor and I kneeled down next to him.

            "Come on. I'm not going to try anything. I can barely talk to him. If you have to worry about this, worry about it later." He nodded and looked up at me, sunglasses sliding down his nose slightly to show his bright blue eyes. Even if Tatsuha did like me back, it would only be for a year, so it was best if I kept my mouth shut. I might tell him eventually, if I ever got up the nerve, but I wouldn't expect anything out of it. Tatsuha knew I wasn't going to be there very long, as well.

            "Tatsuha's right. You have a pretty smile," he offered happily, standing up. I stood up as well, and followed his happily bouncing form out of the restaurant. I had a feeling I should know who he was, but I disregarded it. Now wasn't a time to worry.

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WHEE! Michael's chapter is FINISHED! Can't say I'm too happy with it but oh well, it's out of the way.

Remember, reviews make me write faster! Be kind, please. ^_^

*Walks around with review button* Reviews for the fanfic authors? Reviews for the fanfic authors?


	19. I trust in you

Disclaimers: Oh gods I wish it were mine, but it isn't.

Notes: Okay! Back to your typical ShuichixYuki interlude…less sap-filled than others, up until the end, but that's okay! …right? It will be…

~~~~~flashback~~~~~

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I watched the small trail of smoke from my cigarette ascend slowly into the air, dangling for a second before disappearing, littering the air with its chemicals. Did I care? Hell no. Why should I? I had been writing all day long, I needed this cigarette. I was seriously starting to tire of it. I wasn't suffering from writer's block or anything like that, I was just sick of sitting on my ass and typing word after word. Especially since Shuichi was home. It had been around a month since our 'date' but I still couldn't stop thinking about it, so we rarely saw each other.

            This was one of his days off. He was working harder now than he used to, and hardly ever stayed home even on his days off. Even when he did I tended to ignore him for all or most of the day. It was my nature. However, he had actually felt the need to stay home. I could tell he was still here by the sounds outside. They were faint, but they were there. However, faint noise in my office meant ear-bursting loud noise outside. I'd managed so that my door muted all noises outside. Not quite to the point where I couldn't hear it anymore, but to where Shuichi's music couldn't interrupt me when he played it.  
            Sighing once again I closed my latest work and got up, walking over to the door. Wrapping my hand around the door handle I took one last drag on my cigarette and crushed it in the nearby ashtray, which was littered with cigarettes from the last couple weeks.  Shuichi would surely strangle me if he saw that. Upon opening the door carefully I was immediately hit with the full force of the music. It was loud, it was catchy, and it wasn't coming from the stereo. It was familiar…somehow, although I knew it wasn't one of Shuichi's songs (it wasn't THAT familiar).

            I finally looked around and caught sight of Shuichi, mouthing the words to the song as he danced. Ah. So that was where I'd heard that music before. That hell machine from the arcade. I didn't know they actually sold the damn thing, and I didn't have…okay, hadn't HAD…any sort of machine to play it on. Apparently Shuichi'd gone out and bought it himself.

            I made my way over to the couch slowly, sitting down and watching him play. It was scary, how he could make something that looked so very insane and random on the screen look so easy. It was like he'd been born for it, almost. After he finished I clapped softly, and he jumped, turning around quickly to stare at me. He ended up on the floor however, staring up at me with wide eyes.

            "Yuki! You scared me!" I couldn't help a small smile at that and Shuichi stood back up, smiling back at me. "You want to try? I went out and bought it last night on my way home from work. I just hooked it up this morning." I shook my head and he pouted at me, running over to where I was sitting and dropping to his knees. "Please?" He was giving me the most pitiful look he could manage, which was actually pretty damn good.

            Sighing I stood up, pulling him up with me. He smiled up at me hopefully, clinging to my arms as we stared at each other. God, he was almost making me WANT to do it. However, I still had a sense of dignity. I didn't feel the need to show Shuichi how absolutely horrible I was at dancing. He hadn't found any of my other features worthy of insults (his pink hair and violet eyes made him no different than me), but he could surely dance without thinking while I could hardly count beats.

            "There's no way you're getting me on that thing," I whispered softly before kissing him. I couldn't help it. He was adorable when hopeful. His eyes shone lighter, and he made himself seem so much shorter than he really was. I don't know how he achieved it, but somehow he made himself look smaller and even more innocent. He would have been really popular with the ladies if I hadn't gotten to him first. There were two types of guys they really liked: Smooth talking playboy (gee, guess who that applies to…) and the cute, innocent, and stupid. For some reason they seemed to find them utterly adorable.

            "Please?" he tried again as we separated, staring up at me with half-lidded eyes. Dammit! I should have figured he'd find a way to use everything to his advantage. Sighing I gave in and pulled his hands off my shirt, holding onto one gently.

            "Will it make you happy if I try once?" I was going to make a fool out of myself, and I was well aware of it. However, Shuichi seemed determined to get me on that machine, and at least there was no one else around this time. The reporters would have had fun writing about my inabilities. Hell, I think they'd be amused enough that I actually did it. Shuichi nodded happily and pulled me towards the machine by my hand determinedly.

            "Do you understand how to do it?" he asked as he plugged in a second controller and stepped on the start button of it, setting it next to his. I shook my head slowly and he sighed. "Watch me then, okay? It's really simple."

            "I have watched you. You look like a fish out of water." Shuichi laughed and stuck his tongue out at me, jumping on one of his arrows a while before stepping onto the middle of the pad.

            "Sit out and I'll play an easy song. Just watch, okay? I only had one song left on this game, anyway." I nodded and stepped back, crossing my arms and watching as Shuichi danced slower this time. The arrows were spaced far enough apart that I could actually tell between one and the other. "See, when the arrow reaches here," Shuichi pointed to an area on the screen at that, "you step on that arrow. Whether it's up, down, left, right, front-back jump, left-right jump, front-right jump, front-left jump, back-right jump, or back-left jump. Got it?" That was a whole eleven different things at once. How the hell did he expect me to understand that?

            However, as the song finished he turned around and motioned for me to try it. I sighed as did as I was told. Anything to keep him from whining like he had been earlier. He smiled as we waited for the machine to load, picking a character quickly as the screen showed up. "Hit the start button," he demanded and did so for me, anyway. Afterwards he hit his own circle button and waited for me to choose someone. Heh, they were all girls.

            "She's hot," I commented as I chose one, following Shuichi and stepping on the circle on my mat. Shuichi glared at me and I offered him one of my trademark smiles. He went right back to pouting and started shifting through songs.

            "Do you want me to play on easy with you, or can I play on hard mode?" I shrugged and he sighed in return. "I'll play easy…" he offered dejectedly and I glared over at him.

            "I'm doing YOU a favor here. Nice to know it's appreciated." Shuichi laughed softly and stopped shifting through songs long enough for me to listen to it. "Is this what we're playing?" Shuichi nodded happily, waiting. "It's tacky." Shuichi laughed again and pressed the circle button, finally selecting the song. "Tacky, tacky, tacky."

            "You going to actually play or just call it tacky?"

            "Are you seriously giving me the option?" Shuichi shook his head and I watched the screen for those damn annoying little arrows. Sighing I moved to press an arrow as it appeared, hitting it with an 'almost.' Great, the machine was capable of mocking me all by itself. All I'd seen from the idiot had been 'perfect' I didn't know it was capable of lowering my self-esteem. It continued on like that, and eventually I got lost enough that I just stopped. Shuichi smiled and glanced over at me.

            "Come on, at least try Yuki." I sighed and tried again, concentrating on the screen until the arrows started to make my head spin. The damn things were moving faster than I could move one foot back and the other there. How the hell did Shuichi manage this shit? As the song ended Shuichi laughed happily and I glared at him, jerking my controller out of the system and sitting down on the couch. Great, just what I'd wanted!

            Shuichi turned and blinked at me from where he had caught the falling system, eyes wide and questioning. I glared at him a great deal before the pain in those eyes made me close my own and look away. Dammit. I knew I'd suck at it. He probably found it hilarious that I couldn't dance, just like all the kids when I was little. I heard the TV shut off and a couple seconds later Shuichi's hands were on my knees.

            "Yuki, what's wrong?" he asked softly, hands running up and down my legs slightly in a comforting gesture. I opened my eyes enough to glare at him, staring once again and his wounded eyes. "Yuki…" he looked like he was going to cry. What the hell was wrong with him? I was the one who'd just had every shred of dignity I possessed shredded and had my boyfriend (the one person I really trusted in this world) laugh at me. What the hell was he crying for?

            "What! What the hell do you want!" I snapped after a while of him staring at me, tears still hanging in the corners of his eyes. He jumped and the tears slid down his face at that. "So I don't feel like being made fun of by you, okay! Is that really that bad!" Shuichi's eyes widened slightly before a small smile made itself known on his face. I closed my eyes again, not wanting him to smile at me.

            He made a sort of disappointed clicking sound I couldn't help but think of my mother. She always used to do that when I was upset. "Yuki…" cold fingers brushed against my cheek softly.

~~~~~'Eiri, Eiri, Eiri. What's wrong? What'd they do this time?' a soft, gentle voice; warn fingers combing hair out from where they'd been trapped under my fingers. Warm hands pulling my own away from my face so I'd look at her through tear-filled eyes. 'Come on, you can tell me. I promise you I won't make fun of you.' I sobbed and threw myself against her, crying and telling her everything. About how they called me a talentless freak. How they told me I looked like a dying fish when I tried to dance, about how they told me I'd never get someone to like me.

There went that clicking noise again. She always made that noise. 'Don't let what they say get to you, okay? I'm sure you'll find someone who won't care how you dance, one day, okay? Besides, what's so important about dancing?' I shrugged and I felt her pull me away from her so we could see one another. 'Next time they make fun of you for something stupid like your looks or how you dance, tell them that none of that matters. What matters is how you feel and act, right?' I nodded happily, and she nodded once in return. 'Good. Now, let's go inside. Your sister wanted you to go play with her.'~~~~~

            "Yuki, I wasn't making fun of you. I swear it. It was just…you were concentrating so hard. You looked all serious and you're supposed to just have fun with it. I was having fun, playing with Yuki, that's all. I was so happy you played with me, and I thought it was…I guess cute…the way you were staring at the screen so intensely." I opened my eyes slowly and looked over him. Old tears still marked his face, but he was smiling happily now, sitting up so we were near eye-level. "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was making fun of you. I wasn't." I smiled slightly at him, and he nodded happily. "Come on, I'll help you get it!" he cheered happily, standing up and offering to help me as well. I took his offered hands and stood up, following him back to the machine.

            He pushed me onto the pad he'd been on earlier and turned the machine back on, picking my character for me quickly. "Okay, just don't pay attention to the screen, and do like I do, okay?" I nodded slowly and he latched onto my hand. "Trust me. You might not pick up right away, but just follow my movements and eventually you'll get it." I nodded and he selected a song, making sure I was looking at him first.

            At first he was right, I didn't get it at all. I was always a little behind him, but eventually as his hand moved I realized he was going to as well, and depending on where, he'd move differently. Back=back, forward=forward, tighter=left, tug=right. Shuichi smiled happily as I followed him. I noticed he didn't return to the center as he danced, and followed his footsteps exactly. I couldn't help but smile myself, Shuichi was dancing along without a second thought, and eventually it just became a pattern of knowing Shuichi's movements.

            Afterwards he laughed and let go of my hand, turning to smile at me happily. "See! I told you you could do it! You just have to relax and have fun! You got a C!" I smiled and held him tightly. In that moment, he just looked so encouraging and loving. I didn't care about my score, but that look Shuichi was giving me over it. As much as I was afraid of dancing I'd do it over and over if he'd stick by me and encourage me like that again. "I'm really proud of you Yuki, I got a D first time I really tried it!" He cheered happily, wrapping his own arms around me.

            "Shuichi?" Shuichi moved slightly, resting his cheek against my chest and relaxing.

            "Yeah?"

            "I love you," I offered softly, kissing the top of his head. It was a thoughtless action, truly. Like it wasn't the first time I'd ever said it in my life. Like it wasn't the first time I'd ever given Shuichi even the slightest hint of how I felt about him. Like it was something completely normal. Shuichi seemed to stop breathing for a while, before laughing softly.

            "Love you, too," he managed softly before he buried his face into my shirt and cried, still laughing softly. His arms were shaking as he held me and I tightened my hold on him. "I…I didn't think you'd ever really say anything," he managed after a while, and I smiled, running a hand up and down his back comfortingly.

I didn't know what I expected if ever I did tell him how I felt, but this hadn't been it. Maybe a happy smile and his cheery energetic babbling, I wasn't quite sure. Somehow, though, I was sure that I preferred this outcome. It was…it…it made me feel truly loved. I didn't know why, but it did.

            "Neither did I." Shuichi managed to stand upright slowly, smiling up at me ecstatically; eyes wide even with his tears still falling quickly from them.

            "I can't believe…a stupid video game…brought it up," he managed between small laughs, before wiping his eyes dry and managing a much more day-to-day smile. "So, do you wanna play again then?" He asked happily, reaching behind him to take my hands in his.

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ACK!!! I HATED THAT ENDING! But, I write things better the first time through, so I'm not going back and rewriting it. Besides, most people tend to like what I hate more than what I like. Strange…

Okay! Now to answer sauron's question from their review:

…but when kuma was unleashed, wouldn't he know that ryuu-chan was nittle g's ryuu-chan? cuz the bunny is like the mascot or something?…

Okay. To clear things up since I was sure someone was going to ask me this eventually.

Michael had only just heard of Nittle Grasper back in chapter 13 when Tatsuha introduced NG to him, and he's only seen a few pictures of Ryuichi. I doubt he's sporting Kumagoro on the CD case or any of Tatsuha's posters (since Tatsuha went more for sex-symbol Ryuichi before meeting him), and he'd look in his early 20's or so (That's how I old I think he looks when he's singing).

…michael didn't mention anything about ryuu-chan's age and that didn't seem very likely.

I never thought to have him question Ryuichi's age for a couple reasons.

All he knew about Ryuichi when he met him was that he was Tatsuha's friend. I'm doubting Michael guessed he'd be very old at all Also, looking at Ryuichi the first time I thought he was somewhere between the ages of 15 and 19, so Michael would have no reason to guess he was much older then he and Tatsuha were.

Now that that's taken care of…

PLEASE REVIEW!!! Even if you hated the ending, the plot, whatever, I thrive off your feedback. So long as you're not mean about it…


	20. It runs in the family

Disclaimers: Gravitation does not belong to me.

Notes: Um…I'm hopping that this will turn out better than chapter 19 did.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I made my way down the long, packed school hallways. School was out; of course the halls were going to be packed. It was a weekend, who would want to stay there any longer than they had to? Even those who were staying behind were in a rush to get to their clubs and sports, anything to be rid of the tiring classes and class work. Homework was still a heavy burden over us all, but we had a day off school to do that. It wasn't urgent business tonight.

            I was currently making my way out of the school so I could meet with Aiko and Michael. We would always walk around the city and go somewhere to hang out before we went home on the weekends. It was tradition. I walked across the street to the park where we normally met up, sitting down on a table bench and waiting for them. I was normally out there before them. We were all in the same class, of course, but Aiko always had something to do after school and didn't want to drag Michael AND me around everywhere so I left and Michael went with her. Michael and her were almost always together, he relied so much on her support. It was sort of cute.

            I blinked as I heard arguing from a distance, trying to pick up on it from where I was sitting. I didn't even know where it was coming from, but it was getting closer. After a while I could hear Aiko's voice clearly, and I stood up to go greet her.

            "Just do it! Michael! Come on!" I blinked as I stepped out onto the sidewalk, catching sight of their argument. Michael was trying to pry his wrist free from Aiko's grasp, and he was as red as the shirt he was wearing (we all changed in the bathrooms before we met back up).

            "What's going on?" Michael and Aiko both stopped fighting to stare up at me and Aiko smiled, pushing Michael forward. I caught him as he tripped, setting him back upright and shooting Aiko a confused glance. "Are you alright?" I asked Michael as I remembered the last time he'd tripped. He nodded slowly, not looking at me.

            "I have something to do today, but Michael wouldn't come here without me, so I had to drag him here. I figured he wouldn't be so afraid to after you guys went to the movie, but I guess not. Michael, just go ahead and do it already. You'll feel better," she offered softly before turning to leave, footsteps echoing lightly. Michael made a small whining noise as she left, almost like a child when they didn't get what they wanted for their birthday.

            "If you don't want to hang out with me you don't have to, you know," I offered after a while. He was just standing there, staring at the ground. His hands were clenched around the bottom of his shirt, and I couldn't help but get the feeling that he didn't want to be there.

            "It's not that!" he screamed suddenly, looking up at me slightly. "It's just…I…" I sighed and touched his shoulder slightly, causing him to jump and glance up at me quickly. Sighing I pointed to the table I'd been sitting at earlier.

            "Sit down, okay? You look like you're going to pass out on me or something." I really wished Michael didn't feel so edgy around me. It kind of hurt, to see how much trust he put in Aiko, how much he told her, and then he turned around and would hardly talk to me. Was I really so scary to him? I wasn't trying to intimidate him or anything.

            Michael nodded and we both walked over to the bench, safely under the shade of a couple trees. It was nice and cool, and there was a slight breeze blowing, shifting the leaves and causing the shadows to trace back and forth over the wood of the table.

            It was silent for a long while, only the rustling of the leaves above us and the birds singing interrupting the silence. There wasn't even the sound of children playing off in the distance. Empty, humanless sounds. The world seemed lifeless as the quiet stretched, as if we were the only two humans left, afraid of contact with one another.

            "I…" I jumped at the sound, snapped back to reality from my dazed state, staring at Michael and waiting for him to speak. The world I'd created in my mind had been shattered in that word, there was no peaceful isolation, just…your ordinary Saturday afternoon. The same old Saturday, Saturdays I would spend hanging out with my friends before going home and talking with Ryuichi for hours, eventually running off to stay at his place. Nothing different. Nothing unique at all. "I like you." Once again my world was shattered, this time leaving only the two of us, and nothing more.

            "…Shit…" I know I sounded so intelligent and caring at that moment but it summed things up really well. How else was I supposed to deal with this? I…I was confused. I heard Michael laugh nervously and I figured maybe saying something else would be a good idea. "I'm really sorry Michael, I…I'm seeing Ryuichi. Otherwise I'd…I'm so sorry." Michael didn't move, just continued to stare at the wood of the table, seemingly in deep concentration. I couldn't think of anything else to say, other than how very sorry I was.

            "I…I was too late, huh? I…I…" I sighed and ran fingers through my hair. Damn this was hard…I'd never thought in my LIFE that I'd have to deal with this. I should have figured out that Michael liked me a long time ago, shouldn't I have?

            "If I didn't love Ryuichi, I would…I swear it Michael." Michael nodded slowly and stood up, offering me a small smile even as I could see the tears building in his eyes.

            "That's okay. I…I wasn't expecting you to like me anyway. I'll…see you at school then, all right? I…I…I really don't feel like doing anything today," he offered quickly, turning and running as fast as he could away from me. Damn. Damn damn damn damn damn.

            "Damn," I swore softly, leaning back so I could lie down on the bench, staring up at the bit of sky I could see through the leaves. This was just NOT a good day. Not even staying at Ryuichi's tonight could make this day any better. Hell, it would probably make things worse for me.

            I'd just hurt Michael, like I'm sure he hadn't been hurt by anyone else here, at least. I don't think I could have made things any worse. I mean, I was thinking he hated me and instead he'd ended up liking me and I'd been COMPLETELY unprepared for it and now he was probably NEVER going to want to talk to me anymore! I mean, not even I wouldn't want to talk to me. To work up enough guts to tell someone how you feel about them and the first thing they do is swear! God! I was SUCH an asshole!

            It was already getting dark when I finally sat back up, deciding that eventually my 'family' for the school year would start worrying about me. They were used to me being home late after school, but never had I stayed out until after dark. I was going to get it when I got back, I was aware of that much, and I wouldn't be so surprised if they had Mika come and find me.

Some people wondered why I didn't have Mika and Tohma take care of me during the school year; they were almost as close to the school as my current dwelling was. I'd asked her about it once, and I didn't feel the need to ask again. Mika said it was just that they weren't home often enough. That was true, since Tohma had to work at NG almost all day every day, and Mika was almost always at 'home' home. That was why I stayed with them over summer break, when they wouldn't have to make sure I was up on time and going to school.

            "Tatsuha-san, where have you been? Mom's been worried sick about you!" Kae-chan inquired the second I stepped through the door, not even giving me time to shut it behind me. "We've been waiting to eat dinner for you, too! I'm starving! Aren't you hungry at all?" she continued as I worked on getting my shoes off. "What'd you do that made you loose track of time like this? Were you with any girls? I don't like the idea of you staying here if you're out with girls all the time, it makes me afraid of what you'll do while I'm asleep." She NEVER stopped with the questions, Kae-chan. She was too curious and straightforward for her own good.

            "That's enough, Kae-chan," Sakura-chan offered, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Keep your questions for later and let's eat." Kae-chan nodded happily and followed Sakura-chan down the hallway, and I followed the both of them quietly. I'm sure they both noticed my strange quietness, but they probably just thought it was because I was embarrassed for making everyone wait for me (which I WAS, but that wasn't why I was being quiet).

            "Tatsuha-san, are you all right?" Kae-chan's mothered asked as soon I was in the kitchen, leading me to my chair as if I didn't know where it was. It was only the four of us living there during the school year. Kae-chan was two years younger than Sakura-chan and I, and was the only one that really lived there. Both Sakura-chan and I just lived there for the school year, that way things would be easier for us. Kae-chan's mother didn't mind us being there, actually. She said she loved the company.

            "Yeah, I'm fine," I offered quietly as I sat down, not making a sound after that. She went on talking about this and that, trying to keep us all from thinking on my strange lateness.

            "Oh, Tatsuha-san. A girl called here for you not too long ago. She said she'd call back in a half hour, so she should be calling soon." I nodded slowly, knowing exactly whom it was that had called me. Surely I was going to get bitched out for hours, but I couldn't bring myself to care about that.

"Ew! So Tatsuha-san really WAS out with a girl!" Kae-chan whined loudly. The phone rang almost as soon as she finished and I stood up quickly, walking right past the phone on my way out. I wasn't going to listen to her bitch at me for hours.

"Tatsuha-san, I'm sure that's her," Kae-chan's mother offered to my back as I made my way to my room. "Tatsuha-san, please talk to her," she pleaded and I stopped, turning to look at her. The phone rang again, and I heard Kae-chan get up to answer it.

            "It's for you Tatsuha-san!" she cheered happily, running the phone to me and dropping it into my hands as I extended them slightly for it. I sighed and retreated to my room with the phone. I didn't want anyone else around when I was talking to Aiko.

            "Hi," I managed softly into the phone as I shut the door, leaning against it as I prepared to get screamed at.

            "Tatsuha-san…" Aiko sounded so small and lost over the phone, almost as much so as Michael did before he'd left me alone in the park. "Michael just got back home a half hour ago, and he was crying. Tatsuha-san…please come over here. I don't care whether you like him or not, he needs you. He won't talk to anyone; I'm sure he'll listen to you if you came over here and tried." I shook my head and sat down on the floor, keeping my back against the door. I didn't feel like moving.

            "I can't. It's not that I don't like him, I just…I'm in love with someone else. I can't face him knowing how much I've hurt him." I heard Aiko sigh from the other end of the phone, and I could tell she was getting fed up with me.

            "You're being a coward." I laughed blankly and nodded.

            "I know it. I guess it runs in my family. We're always running away when we hurt the people we care about. Always."

            "Tatsuha, please…just come over here. You don't even have to see him. He won't open his door anyway. You just have to talk to him. Please…" I shook my head and ran fingers through my hair once again. I felt like I was going to cry, but I couldn't. It made me feel empty, hallow.

            "No," I answered softly, and hung up. Dropping the phone to the floor I sighed and thought. Thought about how stupid I was not to notice, thought about whether Ryuichi had known about this or not, thought about how much this situation totally SUCKED!

            After a good five minutes of thinking I stood up again, leaving the phone on the floor where I'd dropped it. I needed to talk to somebody. Opening the door to my room I marched determinedly down the hallway, heading for the door as fast as I could without looking like I was in a rush.

            "Going out to go see your girlfriend?" Kae-chan teased me from the living room as I walked past, and I stopped to glare at her. Sakura-chan hushed her and looked up at me from where she was sitting.

            "You're not going to eat?" I shook my head and she smiled slightly. "Alright then. Have fun." I nodded, flashing her a small smile before I left. I hoped Ryuichi was home. He almost always was on Saturdays, that way we could see each other, but I could never be sure.

            It wasn't that long of a walk to Ryuichi's house, but I walked as slowly as I could manage without going crazy. I didn't want to talk about it, I didn't want sympathy. I just wanted someone to tell me what to do. I was confused, and I was scared. I just wanted someone to tell me what I had to do to make things right again…and I wanted comfort. I wanted someone to tell me it was going to be all right.

My friends were everything to me; I certainly didn't feel like things were going to be all right. Michael would probably never talk to me again, he's so shy he'd never be able to look at me after I rejected him like that, and Aiko was probably disappointed enough in me for running away like that that she would stop talking to me, too. And summer had been so perfect…

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YIPPIE! I'm done! I should be working on my novel for NaNoWriMo but I just couldn't help myself. I finally figured out how this is going to end so I decided I'd write another chapter. I might not update so fast next time, or I might. I'm not sure as of yet. Either way, I hope you like this chapter. I realize it's probably WAY OOC, but oh well. I tried.

Please, I need nice reviews! They make me want to write so much faster!!! ^_^ Seriously. The less I get, the less I wanna write on this story. Your reviews so far have been SO motivational for me! I'm not kidding!


	21. I don't know what to do

Disclaimers: Still doesn't belong to me. It'd be a nice Christmas present, though…

Notes: Um…Ryuichi's point of view this time around!

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I kicked my legs over the back of the couch as I waited. Tatsuha normally called me over the weekends after he got home, so I was waiting. He normally called me even sometimes on the weekdays. He'd PROMISED me at least the weekends, though. I hope he didn't think he could get out of calling me today because he had on Thursday. I still wanted to talk to him TODAY!

            I moved Kumagoro to sit on my stomach as we both waited. Tatsuha hadn't called us, and that was depressing. He normally called right after he got home, had he not gotten home yet? I hoped not, it was getting pretty late na no da. If Tatsuha was out this late something bad could happen to him! Or maybe it already had!

            "Kumagoro! What if something bad happened to Tatsuha! I don't know WHAT I'd do!" I managed in my normal cheeriness, but in reality I was worried. If Tatsuha got hurt I really DIDN'T know what I'd do. He was the only person that ever made an effort to understand me. After all this fame, that is…Noriko and Tohma understood me pretty well, but I'd known them since before I was famous.

            I jumped as the doorbell rang, falling off the couch as I did so, and sliding so my entire upper half was on the floor. Scrambling up quickly I grabbed Kumagoro and ran over to the door as fast as I could, holding onto my spinning head as I did so.

            "Tatsuha! Why didn't you…call?" I shut up and dropped my smile as soon as I saw Tatsuha, moving out of the way so he could come inside. "What happened?" I asked softly as I shut the door behind me. Tatsuha looked like something really serious was up. I didn't want Tatsuha to be that sad…ever!

            He sighed as he sat down on the couch and I ran over to him, setting Kumagoro on his lap as I sat down on my knees next to him.

            "Tell Kumagoro if you won't tell me," I offered, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. I may be generally immature and naïve, but I knew better sometimes. I could tell something was seriously wrong and my cheerful personality wasn't going to do anything for us at the moment. Besides, I just couldn't stay cheery when someone I cared about was so very upset.

            Tatsuha smiled slightly and picked Kumagoro up, just staring at him for a while. I scooted a little closer to him so I could lean my head on his as he stared at him. We stayed like that for a while before Tatsuha placed Kumagoro back in his lap, petting his head softly.

            "Kumagoro, what do you do when someone cares about you so very much, but you can't give them what they want, no matter how much you want to? How do you not have two people love you and not hurt one of them?" I hugged Tatsuha tightly as he talked. I knew Michael was going to say something eventually. He didn't look like the type to just give up on something like that. Or maybe he didn't talk. It was pretty obvious that Michael liked Tatsuha; maybe he'd just picked up on it. "Ryuichi." I let go of him as he said my name, slouching down so I could see his face.

            "What?" He didn't look as lost as I'd thought he would. He just looked, confused. Sort of betrayed. Not lost, scared, hurt, nothing pathetic like that. He was a lot stronger than I would have been. I would have been crying the second I found out someone else loved me. I admired Tatsuha for that. He was a lot stronger than I was, but he wasn't afraid to ask for even my help when he needed it, and he wasn't afraid to get help.

            "What do I do?" he asked softly, turning to look at me. I blinked a couple times before shrugging. I wasn't sure what I'd do in the situation, even. Tatsuha's eyes looked blank, blank enough that it was almost scary. I hugged him tightly, crawling to sit in his lap. Kumagoro fell off to his side but I didn't care at the moment, I could pick him up later. I was afraid that those blank eyes could change him into the same sort of person that Yuki was.

            Shuichi was stronger than I was, too. He could put up with Yuki, and he didn't seem phased by it anymore. He and Yuki had worked things out no matter how hard they were. He was willing to stick through the insults in order to have him. I couldn't have done that. I couldn't do that if Tatsuha became anything like his brother.

            "I won't leave you, I know that much," he offered softly and I smiled, pulling myself closer to him. He was holding me now, and anyone would have thought that I was the one that needed the comforting out of the two of us. I was sure Tatsuha wouldn't have let me hold him like this if I looked like he was the weak one. He didn't like being weak, especially around his friends and me. I'd noticed that. He wasn't as tough as he made himself out to be, but he wasn't whiny and weak like me. I always needed comfort when I was upset. Not to say I was completely weak. I could handle things by myself if I wanted to.

            "If he's your real friend, he won't hate you, right?" I felt Tatsuha's hands clench in my shirt and I wondered if I'd said anything wrong. If he were Tatsuha's friend he would care just as much about Tatsuha's feelings as Tatsuha did his and not hate him. Although, that didn't mean he wouldn't be angry for a while.

            "I'm not afraid he'll hate me. I'm afraid that he won't want to hang around with me. That he'll be too embarrassed and shy to spend time with me anymore. I really like him." I sighed and pressed my cheek harder against Tatsuha's chest, feeling his chin resting on top of my head.

            "That might happen. Then again, it might not. I say you should talk to him. It might make him feel less awkward if you try and explain." It was Tatsuha that held me tighter this time, and I smiled slightly, a small sad smile, but a smile. I could feel the dark seriousness escaping slowly.

            "I can't go over there and see him. I'm too afraid." I sighed and sat up slowly, forcing Tatsuha to loosen his grip on me so I could see him. He looked afraid, but not in a pathetic sense. Like he was ashamed of it. "I don't want to force him to talk to me if he's ashamed to. I don't want to force him into anything." I sighed and reached out to pet his hair softly.

            "Come on, you don't have to force him to. Just tell him that you want to talk to him and that you're sorry. He's a really good friend of yours, right?" Tatsuha nodded and I smiled before continuing. "Then I'm sure he'll want to talk to you, even a little bit." Tatsuha sighed and I hopped off his lap, grabbing Kumagoro and pushing him into my pocket as gently as I could. "Come on! I'm sure he'd be glad to see you!" I cheered happily, grabbing onto his hand and trying to drag him off the couch. He came here to ask me what to do, and this was the only option I could find.

            "Ryuichi, give it up," he demanded softly as I pulled on his arm, almost getting him to stand up before his hand slipped and he fell back to the couch. However, I tried again, grabbing onto both of his hands and pulling him up. "I said give it up!" he yelled after a while of trying and I let go, falling back onto the floor and staring up at him. I was just trying to help na no da… "Ryuichi…"

            Tatsuha slid down to the floor and crawled over to where I was sitting, hugging me and holding onto one of my hands gently. "I'm sorry. I told you, I'm afraid."

            "I was just trying to help," I whined softly, burying my face against his chest as I started crying. I hated getting screamed at. It made me feel so horrible, for being annoying enough to have someone seriously scream at me like that. For being stupid enough to make someone that mad.

            "I know, and I'm sorry I screamed at you. I was scared," he offered softly, and I could feel him kissing the top of my head gently. "I'll go if that's the only way you can think of, but if there's another way I'd rather I not talk to him." I sighed and let him hold me, trying to think of some other way to get around this. Suddenly I remember something and sat up, smiling brightly.

            "Why don't we ask Shuichi na no ka? He'd know what to do!" Tatsuha smiled slightly and nodded, letting me go so I could get up and call. Of COURSE! Everyone knew that Hiro was in love with Shuichi, he'd know how to get around this! He and Hiro were still good friends, after all! I should have thought of that in the first place!

            It took a while for Shuichi to pick up the phone, and he didn't sound too happy when he did, but this was an emergency! At least, for me it was! Tatsuha was sad na no da! I couldn't let Tatsuha be sad like that!

            "Ryuichi? What do you want? Has something happened to Tatsuha!" he demanded almost immediately and I flinched a little at the volume of his voice. I wasn't used to such loud voices after all that. Tatsuha had been barely talking when he did speak; I had to really pay attention.

            "He's fine, but we need your help. Um…see, his best friend just…"

            "Confessed? I'll be right over, okay? I didn't have anything to do here so I'm sure Yuki won't mind if I leave. Just in case Tatsuha's not aware of it, this is going to take a lot of work on his part," he offered softly and I nodded. He'd sounded like he'd been expecting that. I think he'd met Michael once before, too. Either that or he'd figured it out from the description I'd given him.

            He was a lot more observant than people gave him credit for. You could hardly hide how you felt from him; he just didn't say anything about it. He told me that once. He told me he'd known that Hiro loved him for a while now, but had been too afraid of hurting him to pay any attention to the clues he dropped. He was good at reading people, that's why I'd trusted Tatsuha when I'd met him. I knew that Shuichi wouldn't introduce me to anyone he thought would hurt me. He was a good friend.

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ACK! I'm sorry it's so short! There's nothing I can really add in there that will make this chapter as long as the others! Don't worry though; I'll try to make up for it. Or maybe a short chapter would be good? A little bit of a break, you know. ^_^

And to peanutbaby13: That's a great idea! Thanks! I had a ShuichixYuki interlude where I wasn't sure what I was going to do in it, so I think I'll do that now. ^_^

Once again, reviews are GREATLY appreciated. They really give me the energy to write. ^_^


	22. Never run away

Disclaimers: Gravitation doesn't belong to me. Anyone pick up on this already?

Notes: Whee! We're back to Shuichi's point of view!

~~~~~flashback~~~~~

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            "Yuki, I'm going out," I announced, peering through the door to Yuki's office. He was working, as always, his fingers moving gracefully over the keys to his laptop. 

            "And where the hell would you be going?" he asked with disinterest from his computer desk, still typing away. He stopped to take a drag from his cigarette, looking over at me as he breathed out. "Well?" Why would he care where I was going? He never had before. Then again, I normally didn't go anywhere this late at night without trying to drag him along.

            "I'm going over to Ryuichi's place," I answered easily and Yuki went back to his typing, crushing the end of his cigarette into the ashtray next to him. Nothing had changed since his confession. He'd never said it again, he hadn't suddenly started showering me with affection or anything. I was still only allowed those few moments of caring. I didn't care, though. I knew that he cared about me no matter how he treated me, and that was the important thing. That was all I'd wanted and had been expecting.

            "What did my brother do now?" he asked monotonously as he continued typing, not making the slightest move to show that he even expected an answer. However, whether he wanted an answer or not I was giving him one. It wasn't Tatsuha's fault, and I didn't want him thinking something bad of his little brother when he was perfectly innocent.

            "Nothing. They're just having some problems." He sighed again before he stopped typing and stood up, turning to face me. "What? I didn't do it, I swear!" Yuki raised an eyebrow as he walked over to me.

            "Didn't do what?" I shook my head and looked as innocent as I could. It hadn't been my fault he left where I could see it…I was hungry. I didn't think he'd notice one more piece missing… "I'll find out later. Come on," he practically ordered and I followed him.

            "Are you going to go help, too? Yuki, you're so swe…"

            "I'm driving you over there. Someone as stupid as you would probably get himself kidnapped walking alone after dark," Yuki snapped, glaring at me. I laughed and attached myself to his arm, not caring that he was swearing at me to get off while he locked the door.

            "Yuki's worried about me!" I cheered happily, beaming up at him. I didn't have to state the fact, it was very clear, but I knew that it agitated Yuki when I did that. "Yuki's such a sweetheart!" Yuki growled and shook me off his arm, locking the door to the apartment quickly.

            "Shut up or I'm making you walk," he demanded as I opened my mouth to say something else and I laughed again, latching back onto his arm as we walked towards the elevator. "So why is it they want you over there again?" I sighed and let go of Yuki, leaning against the far wall as the elevator doors shut.

            "Tatsuha's friend's in love with him, too." I felt Yuki's hand stroking my hair gently and smiled slightly. He was aware of what I'd gone through over Hiro, and that I still wasn't entirely over the subject. How was I supposed to be? I mean, my best friend confessed his love to me more than once, and most times I just pretended not to hear him. Eventually he cornered me and told me everything, how he felt about me, how he felt about Ayaka, how he felt about my pretend blindness. He said he'd been hurt most that I kept on running away from him like that, that I kept on pretending not to hear him. Instead of trying to help him get through it, I ran away scared. He told me he'd never felt more betrayed and alone. I didn't want Tatsuha running away from his problem and end up doing that to his friend.

            "I can see why they asked you over there," he offered softly, pulling away from me as the doors opened, and walking through them quickly. I ran to catch up with him, walking next to him after I caught back up. Neither of us talked on the walk to the car. We didn't talk in the car, either…

            I sighed as I watched the streetlights whiz past us in the car. There were more people out than you'd think at this time of night. I wondered for a second why Yuki was so worried about me; there were plenty of other, nice people out at this time. It wasn't like I was going to be walking the streets alone. Besides, it was barely 9. I couldn't help but think back on when Hiro told me how he felt about me as we drove towards Ryuichi's house.

            It had been the week I'd ended up staying at the studio. Hiro was the only person who bothered to stay in the studio with me. All the others went home at night to sleep on their own beds. I was fine with that, I would have been fine being alone, but Hiro wouldn't let me. He said he didn't mind staying behind and he didn't want me getting lonely while I was staying there. He always cared about how I felt. It was one of the things I liked the most about him, how he always seemed to care about everyone.

            Everyone else had left already and I was working on my 'thanks' for the CD. I had a lot of people to thank, after all. I couldn't forget a single person. Even Kumagoro got his own little sentence of thanks, for always helping me when I ran out of energy. Hiro had already gotten his done, of course, seeing as he'd had the entire week I was sick to write his out. It was sad how far behind I had fallen with my work.

~~~~~'Hey, Shuichi.' I blinked and looked up from where I had been writing. I had a list of people I needed to thank already made out (that had taken me about a half hour by itself) and I was currently working on writing it out in paragraph form. Hiro's voice had startled me and forced me to draw a line over my paper, but I didn't go back and fix it right away.

            I hadn't had a clue Hiro was so close to me. How long he had been there I wasn't sure, I'd been too busy writing to notice anything else. It was one of my flaws. I smiled happily, setting my pencil down next to my paper.

            "'Sup?" Hiro sighed and sat down on his keens in front of the little desk I was sitting at, crossing his arms over the top and leaning his head against them.

            "Lots of things. You're working harder than you should be. You were just sick, you know." I laughed and bounced happily, like a little child.

            "I'm fine, really. See?" Hiro sighed and tilted his head to the side a bit so his cheek was pressed against his arms.

            "I'm sorry I didn't visit you while you were sick. I was really worried about you, but…I didn't want to get into a fight with Yuki-san. I figured that wouldn't be good for you." I blinked a couple times before deciding it would be best to actually ask him instead of just hoping he got the question by himself

            "Why would you and Yuki get into a fight? Yuki's not that mean…"

            "I know," Hiro interrupted me quickly, and I could have sworn he looked really sad. "He's really observant, though." I was even more confused by that point, and I leaned over so my elbows were resting on the desktop.

            "About what?" Hiro sighed and sat up again, walking over to where I was sitting and taking a seat on the couch next to me (I'd dragged a desk over to the comfiest couch they had. That was where I slept).

            "Promise me you'll listen to me this time?" I blushed slightly and nodded. I think I knew what was coming already. "Yuki doesn't like me very much, and I don't like Yuki very much, because both of us love you very much. I don't like him because of the way he treats you, and Yuki doesn't like me because I think he believes I'm trying to steal you from him. Don't get me wrong, I like Ayaka-chan just fine, but I'd still give anything to have you by my side." I opened my mouth to say something but Hiro pressed a finger to my lips gently and I closed it again, waiting to hear Hiro out. "I've told you this before, I know that. I know you've heard me say it at least four times now, and I hope you've realized that I'm not lying when I say it.

            "Every time I've told you this you've changed the subject or continue on obliviously. I know you've heard me say it; I'm not clueless, either. Every time you ignored me, I felt worse, Shuichi. Like you were afraid of me. I've tried everything to make you happy, and you ignored me when I told you what was hurting me so much. I felt like you were betraying me, doing that. What kind of friend runs away when they know their friend is hurting?" I could feel the tears running down my face by that point, and Hiro wiped them away gently.

            "I'm sorry," I whispered against his finger, and he nodded slowly, pulling his hand away from my face. "Really, I am. I didn't want to hurt either of you, so I tried to pretend I didn't hear it, that way I wouldn't have to hurt you." Hiro nodded again, running fingers through my hair.

            "I know. You're stuck in all sorts of messy situations, aren't you?" I nodded slowly, noting that Hiro was slowly getting closer to me. "Sorry I had to be a problem to you."

            "Hiro," I managed softly, resting my hand against his chest as I registered what was going on. Hiro was going to kiss me…Hiro stopped and stared at me for a while before he sat back up, running fingers through his hair and laughing nervously.

            "Sorry. Guess I got a little caught up there, huh?" I nodded slowly, cheeks growing hot. I'd almost kissed my best friend…that would have been scary. "Well, I guess you'd best finish that and get to sleep. I think I'm going to lie down myself. Later Shuichi," he offered happily, ruffling my hair before standing up and heading over to the couch on the other side of the room. He probably was hoping I wouldn't notice, but I saw the tears that hung in the corner of his eyes as he said goodnight. I couldn't get the image out of my mind the rest of the night, and I ended up writing a paragraph thank you just for Hiro. I'd put him through so much, and he'd always stuck by me.~~~~~

            "Hey idiot, are you going or not?" I blinked and turned around quickly to stare at Yuki. He didn't look pleased with me at the moment, and I blushed a little bit.

            "Sorry," I offered softly, undoing my seatbelt and hopping out of the car. "You coming in, too. I'm sure it would mean a lot to Tatsuha. You are his big brother, after all." Yuki glared at me and I sighed. "Never mind that."

            "I have work to do. I can't be bothered with Tatsuha's problems at the moment. I have enough of my own." I had a feeling he was referring to me but I smiled anyway, waving goodbye as I shut the door behind me. I sighed as he drove away quickly, turning and making my way to Ryuichi's apartment. I'd only been over a couple times, but thankfully my fan-memory allowed me to remember where it was.

            "Ryuichi!" I called as I knocked on the door, waiting for him to open it for me. Almost immediately the door was flung open and Ryuichi smiled at me happily.

            "Shuichi! Come inside na no da!" he cheered happily, grabbing onto my wrist and pulling me inside. He kicked the door shut behind me, still not letting go of my arm, and dragged me over to where Tatsuha was sitting on the couch. "Shuichi can help, right?" I nodded and Ryuichi let go of me, pushing me so that I sat down next to Tatsuha. "Then help na no da!" he cheered happily, smiling as brightly as he did every other day. I could tell he was worried about Tatsuha, it was in the way that he moved, but he smiled normally so Tatsuha wouldn't feel like he was being a burden to him. Ryuichi and me understood each other like that. I'd probably be doing the same thing in his position. Tatsuha probably felt bad enough as it was.

            "Tatsuha, have you talked to your friend since he told you how he felt?" Tatsuha shook his head slowly and I sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Do you know where he lives?"

            "Yes, but I can't face him right now. I've hurt him so badly." I ran fingers through my hair and looked over at Tatsuha. He was staring at me like I was his only lifeline now.

            "Running away from him will only make him feel worse. He probably thinks you're afraid of him now, and he's sure to feel more than a little betrayed. I've gone through this, too. Face it now, before you hurt him more, all right? I ran away like you are, and it turns out that I ended up hurting my friend a lot more than if I would have just faced it." Tatsuha sighed and leaned back as well, staring at the ceiling.

            "You think he'd want to talk to me?"

            "If he's your friend he will," I offered, smiling slightly. I had a feeling I was winning this argument. That was good, since I knew what I was doing. Tatsuha sighed and looked over at me, our eyes locking for a moment before he smiled back at me.

            "I guess it'll be alright then…so long as you and Ryuichi come with me." I smiled wider and nodded, and I could hear Ryuichi cheering from in front of us.

            "Shuichi is the greatest! Did you hear that Kumagoro! We're going to go see Michael again na no da! Shuichi's going to make everything alright again!" I laughed and sat up, digging around in my pocket for my cell phone. Yuki would probably like to know I was leaving Ryuichi's, and might even want to take me there himself. I mean, he hadn't wanted me walking to Ryuichi's house. That was only around a 45-minute walk. Who knew how far away Michael's house was?

            "What do you want?" Yuki asked as he picked up the phone, sounding irritated. I laughed and I heard him sigh from the other end of the phone.

            "Yuki, we're all going over to Michael's house to talk to him. I just thought you might want to know." There was a long silence over the phone after that. Ryuichi had calmed down a little bit and was talking to Tatsuha happily as I waited for a response from Yuki.

            "I'll be over there to pick you up in a bit, okay?" I nodded happily.

            "Thanks Yuki, you're the greatest!"

            "You owe me for this, you know. You have any idea how much work is Not getting done while I'm running you around the city?" I sighed and brushed a bang back from my eyes. I really needed to get my hair cut sometime soon.

            "I'll stay over at Hiro's tomorrow and not come home until late Monday night so you can get lots of work done, alright?" I heard Yuki 'humph' in reply and knew that he was happy with that arrangement. Good, I didn't want to argue with him about that at the moment. "See you when you get here, then. We'll all be waiting outside!" I cheered happily, hanging up the phone. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

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YAY! I'm finally done with this chapter, and HIRO has finally had a part in this story! All the Hiro fans rejoice! Hehehe. All right, things are starting to wind back down here. Know I built it up a little too much, but oh well. I want to get this done EVENTUALLY.

I'm starting to get a feeling that this story is getting too long.

Oh well. PLEASE review! It really does make me want to write faster! I would have had this chapter up earlier but this is about the only free time I've had all week. 'The more the merrier' as they say, although I know that's now what they're talking about…


	23. Facing your fears

Disclaimers: Gravitation is not mine.

Notes: Whee! Back to Tatsuha's point of view! ^_^

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            "Yuki, you're the greatest!" Shuichi cheered as my brother pulled up in his car, opening the front door from him. He glared at me from his seat and I glared back, opening the back door and allowing Ryuichi to hop inside before I followed.

            "I can't believe you need a whole support team just to talk to a friend of yours," Eiri snapped as I sat down, and I glared at him through his rearview mirror, slamming the door behind me on purpose. He spun around and glared at me for that. "Don't do that! Grow up, dammit!" I stuck my tongue out at him, crossing my arms stubbornly and glaring at him as I leaned back in my seat. I knew how precious my brother's car was to him, and how quickly he would kill me if I were to make even a single scratch on it.

            "Two nights," I heard Shuichi reassure him quietly, trying to pull him out of our glaring contest. Shuichi won, of course. Shuichi always won when it came to fights with my brother. I wasn't sure whether Shuichi was aware how much my brother cared about him. Knowing him, the answer was probably no. I doubted my brother would be able to say 'I was worried about you' to Shuichi even if he got kidnapped and dragged off to Mexico or some place far away like that. Probably just a 'where the hell have you been? I can't believe you were stupid enough to get kidnapped. What are you, twelve?' followed by lots of kissing, hugging, and general 'sap time.' I knew my brother better than he thought I did.

            "Tatsuha, don't be so mean to your brother na no da. I'm sure he's just trying to help, right?" Ryuichi offered from next to me, scooting to sit in the middle seat so we were right next to each other. He leaned his head against my shoulder and sat Kumagoro in my lap happily. "Even if he IS just being a big jerk, than at least you know that me, Shuichi, and Kumagoro are here for you, right? I'm sure he wants to help, too, though. I mean, he IS your big brother na no da," he offered sympathetically and I sighed. I knew that Eiri hadn't meant it, but couldn't he afford to be nice to me every once in a while? Especially now. I didn't need his insults at the moment; I was scared enough as it was.

            The entire car trip there was made in almost pure silence, and Ryuichi clasped my hand gently halfway there. The only sound was me offering directions to Aiko's house and the collective breathing of us all in the car. Eiri didn't even have the radio on. It was quiet and uncomfortable. I felt like I was slowly marching to my death. Okay, technically driving…and a lot of people wouldn't think driving to your death in a Mercedes was all that bad, but I was used to the 'fancy foreign car' by now. It was nothing special to me. I lived in a family littered in money. True, my father and I didn't have any of it, but I was used to getting rides in fancy cars and eating at the best restaurants from my visits to my siblings.

            "This it?" Eiri asked as we stopped in front of Aiko's house and I nodded slowly. Ryuichi's hand tightened on mine and he brought it up to his face, kissing my palm softly.

            "It won't be so bad. Trust me na no da." I smiled and picked up Kumagoro, handing him to me.

            "Somehow I feel more reassured when Kumagoro tells me that." Ryuichi smiled brightly and took Kumagoro from me, dropping my hand back down to my side so he could hold Kumagoro up to my face.

            "Don't worry Tatsuha. Everything will be all right. Ryuichi and I know Michael will understand. He's nice na no da!" Kumagoro reassured me happily, hugging me tightly afterwards. Ryuichi was too adorable sometimes; you couldn't help but fall in love with him. I was sure Michael would understand where I was coming from if he really got to know Ryuichi.

            "Are you two coming or not?" I jumped and spun around to face my brother and Shuichi. Shuichi was smiling happily, leaning gently against the open door. My brother was standing a couple inches behind him, and he sharply pulled Shuichi away from the door. "You're going to break it," he demanded harshly and I laughed. I couldn't help it. Sometimes my brother was cute in his own way, in his almost addiction to his car. I had to wonder if Shuichi had been aware of Eiri's protectiveness of his car when they'd first gotten together. A lot of the other people he'd gone out with had called his obsession 'freaky' and had vowed never to get inside it for fear he might kill them for getting dirt on the floor.

            "Of course," I managed, pulling myself out of Ryuichi's grasp as gently as I could, keeping a hold of his hand and helping him out of the car. I was sure Ryuichi wasn't aware of the car obsession, and I didn't want to risk loosing my boyfriend over something as trivial as…I don't know. Anything remotely damaging to the appearance of the car could cost you your life.

            Eiri shut the door quietly behind us, glaring at me as he obviously 'demonstrated' how to shut the door properly. I would love to watch his reaction if ever he crashed the damn thing. He'd probably hole himself up in his room for a week or so and cry like a baby. How sad. The one thing that could REALLY affect my brother was the death of his beloved car. Sad thing was…I wouldn't be surprised if he DID lock himself in his room for a week afterwards.

            "Umm…did you bring a hat and sunglasses or something like that?" I asked Shuichi as Eiri knocked on the door. I had forgotten that most people weren't used to having Japan's most popular novelist and two just-as-popular rock stars standing at their front door. Shuichi made a face and choke his head. I should have figured he wouldn't have anything on him, he hadn't been expecting to go any place where people wouldn't know him. This was going to be interesting.

            "Tatsuha-san?" I laughed nervously as Aiko opened the door, looking around at the group I had brought along with me. "Oh. My. God," she managed softly, stepping back from the door slowly, carefully. "Come…inside…" I laughed and let go of Ryuichi's hand (I hadn't even been aware I'd still been holding it), running over to Aiko's side and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

            "Aiko, this is my big brother Eiri, I'm pretty sure you know the rest of them, right?" Aiko nodded slowly, and I could feel her leaning back on my arm as we all stood there. Ryuichi giggled happily, walking over to the two of us and smiling at Aiko.

            "Hi!" He cheered happily, making Kumagoro wave at her. She waved slowly in response and Ryuichi smiled brighter. "You're friends with Tatsuha, right na no ka?" he asked happily, hugging Kumagoro tightly as he waited for a response. Aiko nodded slowly, reaching a hand up to cling to my hand.

            "Your big brother…is really…Yuki Eiri, right? I'm not crazy. Shindo-san, Sakuma-san, and Yuki-san are really here, right?" I laughed and nodded. I'd never had to deal with anything like this before. Aiko was the first of my friends to find out about my family. "You…never told me…that you knew anyone famous," she accused me, voice shaking slightly as she spoke.

            "Yep, and you're still missing one. Seguchi Tohma's my brother-in-law. Almost my entire family's famous." Aiko pinched my hand and turned around to glare at me accusingly, tears hanging in the corner of her eyes. I guess I'd really freaked her out, huh? "Sorry, I didn't remember how strange this would be," I apologized, and Aiko nodded once, firmly.

            "She reminds me of Mika," Yuki muttered under his breath, and Shuichi laughed, covering his mouth suddenly so not to seem rude. He was still laughing, though.

            "She does," he managed in return and Ryuichi nodded, making Kumagoro nod as well.

            "Seriously, look at her. She's got Tatsuha completely under her control." Shuichi nodded his agreement, smiling happily. Ryuichi laughed this time, turning Aiko to face him.

            "She doesn't look much like Mika-san, though." Aiko's eyes were huge as Ryuichi checked for a likeness between them. "Nope, not Mika-san na no da." With all the introducing and playing around I almost forgot what I was at Aiko's house for in the first place. It sure as hell made things a lot more comfortable.

            "What, did you think she was Mika-san in disguise or something?" Shuichi asked mockingly.

            "You never know," Eiri and I responded at the same time and Shuichi and Ryuichi laughed. "Actually, Aiko-san, we were wondering if we could all see Michael. I…I wanted to talk to him," I offered as Shuichi and Ryuichi stopped laughing, and the room was serious again. Aiko nodded and started towards Michael's room. I followed her, clinging to Ryuichi's hand as he followed behind me. Eiri and Shuichi were behind us as well, talking softly amongst themselves.

            "Michael, can I come in?" Aiko asked as she knocked on Michael's door softly, turning to face us all as she waited for an answer.

            "Leave me alone and let me suffer," Michael offered from the other side of the door in English. I knew at least that much. However, Shuichi and Aiko were pretty much lost. Aiko sighed and motioned for me to try. I knocked on the door gently, and sighed, gathering my courage. I could feel my heart racing as I opened my mouth so speak.

            "Michael, please let me inside. I want to talk." There, I'd said something. Hopefully he'd let us inside now.

            "Tatsuha-san…I don't want to talk about it," he offered quickly from the other side of the door and I sighed again.

            "Come on Michael, I'm really sorry. I'm serious; I'd definitely go out with you if I weren't already seeing Ryuichi. Cross my heart and hope to die. I wouldn't lie about something like that, honestly. Because, if ever, for some reason, Ryuichi and I split up, then I'd be expected to go out with you, and that's exactly what I'd do. Please let us inside." There was a long silence from the other side of the door and I was about to give up when the door opened slowly and Michael peered around it shyly, face red and raw from tears.

            "You mean i…who're they?" he asked softly, blushing a little bit. Well, at least I was assured he wouldn't over-react due to meeting them. To him they were just a bunch of people that were hanging around with me. "I know Ryuichi, but the other two…" I smiled and stepped to the side so Michael could better see Shuichi and Eiri.

            "This is my big brother Eiri and his boyfriend Shuichi." Michael nodded slowly and pointed towards Shuichi.

            "Aiko listens to your music and talks about you all the time." Shuichi smiled brightly and Michael opened the door fully, one hand clenching tightly to the bottom of his shirt.

            "Thanks. Tatsuha talks about you a lot, too," Shuichi offered in return and Michael blushed an even deeper shade. "Ah, not in a bad way, of course!" Shuichi blurted out, running over to Michael and trying to reassure him that he hadn't meant it as anything bad. Poor Shuichi, he wasn't used to hanging around people so shy. He probably thought he'd offended him or something.

            "Michael, I'm sorry, too," Ryuichi blurted out quickly in English, staring at the ground. He was blushing a little bit, too. Stupid Tatsuha, I had forgotten to think how awkward this would be for the both of them.

            "That's okay." I couldn't understand the rest of what they said, but Michael smiled brightly after a while, nodding quickly. Ryuichi laughed and tossed Kumagoro over to him. Michael hugged Kumagoro happily, kissing its forehead. "Kumagoro can't hate me now," he scolded in Japanese, smiling a little bit. He was still blushing a bit, but you could tell he was more relaxed now.

            "Isn't the hallway a little cramped for all of us? Want to go to the living room?" Aiko asked after a while, and she grabbed my wrist as I turned to leave. "You guys can't leave yet. We've barely just met. Please?" I laughed and nodded, turning to beg my brother silently. He sighed and held a finger up, moving it to point at his wrist. Right, one hour. That was asking a lot out of my brother, actually, and I smiled thankfully, turning to face Aiko and Michael again. Michael smiled awkwardly at me as I looked over at him, making Kumagoro wave at me, and I waved back.

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The most anti-climatic BS I've ever written, but for some reason I'm attached to it. I dunno. This is probably one of those chapters no one else will like; it's strange how that works out. People always seem to like the chapters I hate the most. Hm…

PLEASE review, they really do make me write faster!


	24. Saying goodbye

Disclaimers: Gravitation does not belong to me. Only Michael and Aiko do.

Notes: Whee! Back to Michael's point of view!

This chapter is MUCH longer than the others, so beware

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as we all waited for the bell to ring. The finals for our last class that day had taken less time than any of us had needed, and we were to sit quietly until the bell rang, that way the other classes could finish. It seemed like a fair deal, except that I'd been sitting silently for the last 20 minutes, and I still had a while to go.

            Today was the last day of school, the glorious day before vacation, littered with final exams and other such tortures. Also, it was the last full day I'd be spending here in Japan. I was supposed to leave early tomorrow for home. This was the last day I'd ever get to see Tatsuha and Aiko. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving them, but I wanted to go home as well. I wished that the two of them could come back with me, but that would be pulling them away from their loved ones, and that was selfish. I didn't want to do something like that to my friends.

            I sighed again and looked over at Tatsuha's desk, blushing slightly as I waved at him. He smiled slightly in return, waving back. I was used to the fact that he and Ryuichi were going out now; it had stopped bothering me a long time ago. Tatsuha was still my best friend, and Ryuichi was fun to hang out with as well. I'd miss him, too.

            Finally the bell rang and I stood up and stretched, flinching as I both felt and heard my back crack at the motion. Tatsuha, Aiko, Ryuichi, and I were all going to go somewhere today to celebrate the coming of the end of our sophomore year. I wasn't sure where we were going yet; they all wanted it to be a surprise. There was a big Nittle Grasper concert that night, so Ryuichi was only going to be hanging out with us for a little bit, but he said he'd at least stay until dinner so we could all eat at his favorite restaurant.

            "That's sick…" Aiko commented as she walked over to me, flinching. "I mean, I could HEAR it!" she announced in disgust, hands digging into her jean pockets. Last day of school at our high school was a $1 dress down day (pay a dollar and you can dress in normal clothes). They figured with the stress of final exams it would help some to at least dress somewhat relaxed. Tatsuha said that they'd had enough people drop out due to stress that they figured it would be better to do things that way. Also, it provided more money for the school, since most kids were willing to pay to get out of their uniforms for a day.

            "Leave him alone, I'm sure you've done it before." Aiko glared up at Tatsuha as he appeared next to her. He'd dressed down, too. We all had. He was wearing a loose black top and dark jeans. It looked good on him, and just about everyone had noticed it. "So, you ready to go? I bugged my brother into giving us a ride to Ryuichi's place. He'll leave if we're not out there quickly." I frowned a little bit at that. I wasn't really sure what I thought about Tatsuha's brother. He was…confusing.

            "We can't just walk? It's a nice day," Aiko commented, motioning to the window. The teacher had opened the windows after we had all finished our exams, and we could hear the birds outside clearly. I wouldn't mind walking, either.

            "Yeah, we could, but Ryuichi has to leave early so we want to be there as soon as possible, right?" Aiko and I nodded and followed Tatsuha out of the school. I guess I must have looked depressed because Tatsuha slowed down to walk next to me and smiled. "Just try and have fun today, okay? I don't want you to be sad, especially since I won't see you again for a while." I nodded and smiled slightly. I knew I was blushing, but I couldn't help myself! Tatsuha was so close to me and he looked so good in those clothes, and…and…I was a lost cause. I think I'd started liking him more after I'd told him how I felt.

            "Okay," I managed with a smile and Tatsuha nodded. He was right; I should make the most out of my last day here with them all.

            There was a crowd around Tatsuha's brother's car when we got outside, and Tatsuha laughed. I guess we all should have seen that coming. It wasn't every day there was a Mercedes parked in front of your high school. I wondered what would become of Tatsuha next year, after everyone found out that was his ride home. It was too bad I wasn't going to be there to see it.

            We all three pushed our way through the crowd to get into the car, piling into the backseat.

            "Drive, drive!" Tatsuha shouted through laughter, and Aiko shut the door behind us. I was stuck in the middle by a matter of chance, crowded between Tatsuha and Aiko. Tatsuha instinctively wrapped an arm around me as I fell against him as we sped off, all three of us falling over at the turn.

            "Don't you three look comfortable!" Shindo-san announced, turning around in the seat to smile at the three of us. I hadn't been aware he was there, and I'm sure no one else had been either. Almost immediately I buried my face in Tatsuha's chest, trying to hide as best I could. I was sure I was all different shades of red by now, and Tatsuha arm around my waist wasn't helping.

            "Michael, come on. Sit up," Tatsuha offered softly, arms on my shoulders now. "Come on," I shook my head stubbornly. I know I seemed like a selfish, spoiled little jerk but the truth was that I was so embarrassed that I really didn't want to look at anyone. I'd rather stay where I was and remain embarrassed than face them all and let it die away eventually. I'd probably never live this down either way.

            Tatsuha sighed and gave up, one hand resting on my back and keeping me from rolling off on the drive there. It was really comfortable, but I knew that I'd have to get up eventually. Ryuichi wouldn't be too happy I'd been lying on Tatsuha the entire way to his house. After a while I finally sat up, looking at the back of Shuichi's seat as if it were interesting.

            "Feel better?" I blinked and looked over at Tatsuha as he spoke. It was habit. I looked at people as they spoke, it was a subconscious reaction. He was still lying down, hair spread all over the seat as he smiled up at me. He was perfect. Gorgeous and nice. I wish I could have been with him even for a little bit. I would kill for a chance with him. I nodded slowly and Tatsuha nodded in return, still lying down.

            "We're there," Tatsuha's brother announced as was stopped in front of the apartment complex that I guessed Ryuichi lived in. I'd never been over to his house before.

            "Thanks Eiri!" Tatsuha cheered happily, sitting up and practically bumping into me. I fell back as he sat up and Aiko laughed, catching me from falling onto her.

            "Not this again!" We all laughed at that, except Tatsuha's brother. I don't think in the two times I'd met him he'd ever really laughed. Barely smiled, I remember that much. "Ah!" Aiko fell out of the car as she opened the door, staring up at the two of us before laughing at herself. "I fell out of the car," she stated between giggles. It was quite obvious she fell out of the car, but it needed to be stated somehow. We all laughed at her for that, and eventually she collected herself and stood up.

            "Why was Aiko-san on the ground na no ka?" We all blinked and looked up to find Ryuichi staring down at us curiously.

            "She fell out of the car," Tatsuha and I answered at the same time, climbing out of the car. Aiko nodded, still laughing. She was quite red herself, by now. "You look nice Ryuichi. Is that what you're wearing at the concert?" Ryuichi blushed and shook his head, finger reaching up to fasten around his necklace.

            "You know I never let anyone see my concert outfits before I wear them for concert…except you, of course." I couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous of Ryuichi. Tatsuha was pulling his hand away from his necklace gently, smiling so very sweetly.

            "Oh, that outfit, huh?" Ryuichi nodded happily, looking past Tatsuha to look at me and smile.

            "Hi Michael-san! Were your finals hard?" he asked conversationally, leaning to the side to look past Tatsuha at me. I shook my head and Ryuichi smiled brighter. "I envy you. I can hardly read Japanese. I don't think I could pass your finals, or did they write them out in English for you?"

            "It was in Japanese," I answered softly, blushing a little bit. Ryuichi was too nice for someone to dislike. I felt sort of bad being jealous of him, since he was always so motivational. "It wasn't that hard."

            "I can barely read kanji na no da, so you did better than I would have done," he responded happily, walking past Tatsuha to stand in front of me. "So, what do you want to do? Today is Michael's fun day!" he cheered happily, twirling around once to show his excitement.

            "I don't know." I'd never made the choices before; I'd just followed along with what other people wanted to do. I didn't want to spend my last day with them all watching a movie, I wanted to do something where we could talk and actually hang out. "How about we hang out at the mall or something," I offered softly, staring down at the fun.

            "Yeah! That's a great idea! We can all buy something there that Michael can remember us by, too!" Aiko cheered happily, bouncing. So…I'd come up with a good idea?

            "I agree, it sounds fun na no da! Huh, Kumagoro?" Ryuichi asked his bunny friend, eyes lighting up. Sometimes it was really hard for me to remember that he was so very famous. He acted so much like a kid…

            "Yeah, that's a good idea. Isn't there a mall close by?" Ryuichi thought a bit before nodding happily. "I thought so."

            "Yeah! It's a really big one, too! It's a little farther than the restaurant na no da!" Ryuichi cheered, running past me to the car and peering inside. I guessed he was saying hello to Shuichi, it seemed like they were really good friends. "Come on, I want to eat by 4:30!" Ryuichi cheered happily, waving us all into the car as he hopped inside.

            Once again I was stuck crammed between Aiko and Tatsuha. Not that I minded, or course. It was a bit uncomfortable being squashed like that, but I could live with it. Tatsuha and Ryuichi were chatting happily in whispers about something or other, and I sighed. Everyone else was happy with his or her boyfriends, except for me.

            "Alright, get out," Tatsuha's brother demanded as we reached the mall, and we all piled out quickly. I wasn't sure about the others, but I really didn't want to make Tatsuha's brother mad at me. He didn't seem friendly even when he was in an 'everyday' mood.

            "Alright na no da! Let's go!" Ryuichi cheered happily, latching onto Tatsuha and my hands. "This should be fun!" he cheered again, skipping towards the mall and dragging Tatsuha and me along with him. Aiko followed behind us at her own pace, laughing at the scene we were all making. Everyone else was staring at us but for some reason I couldn't explain I wasn't embarrassed about it. I was having fun, eventually skipping next to Ryuichi, who smiled over at me happily.

            We spent quite a while in the mall, running from store to store, playing around with this or that. Everyone bought me something nice, something they saw me playing with in one store or another. Ryuichi bought me a CD player and a Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck CD, autographing the player and NG CD. Tatsuha bought me a copy of the movie we'd all gone to see when I'd first met Ryuichi and signed it. Aiko bought me a beautiful little mold of a shrine, for when we both went over to Tatsuha's place, and signed the bottom carefully. Something to remind me of the fun I'd had with all of them.

            We must have spent at least an hour in the mall itself, and Ryuichi practically ran to the restaurant, making the three of us run to keep up with him. I was a bit weighed down with my gifts, but Tatsuha was holding onto them as we ran so the bottom wouldn't break. I wouldn't want to loose my precious little gifts, after all.

            "You guys are so slow na no da!" Ryuichi taunted as we caught up with him outside, hands on his hips as if he were scolding the three of us. We all apologized and he smiled again, nodding. "That's better. Come on, I bet you Sakura's working today!" he cheered happily and we all followed him inside.

            "Ryuichi! How are you darling?" one of the waitresses asked as we walked inside, looking around the divider at the four of us and smiling happily. "Afternoon Tatsuha," she added, nodding towards Tatsuha as well."

            "Hi Shizue! These are my friends Aiko-san and Michael-san! Michael-san's from America, and he has to go back tomorrow, so I wanted to take him here to meet you all!" Shizue (I guessed that was her name) nodded and smiled happily.

            "Nice to meet you, Michael-san, Aiko-san. Sakura should be over to wait on the two of you soon. It seems you always end up with her. Do you not like the rest of us Ryuichi?" Ryuichi shook his head quickly, pulling Kumagoro out of his pocket.

            "Not at all! Please don't think Ryuichi hates you or Kumagoro'll be sad!" Shizue laughed and left, and Ryuichi smiled happily. "All the girls that work here are really nice na no da! You'll like them Michael-san, Aiko-san!" Ryuichi assured us happily, waving as a young girl came over to great us, leading us to our seat.

            "Ryuichi, it's been a while. Who are your new friends?" she asked as she handed out menus, smiling brightly.

            "Michael-san and Aiko-san. I brought them here to meet all of you!" The girl smiled and nodded.

            "Nice to meet you both, my name's Sakura. It seems you just have a thing for attracting cuties to you, Ryuichi," she offered as I nodded and blushed slightly, causing me to slide down farther in my chair and hide behind my menu. "Oh! You're an absolute darling!" she cheered happily, and I sunk down even farther. I could hear Aiko laughing at me, and she elbowed me in my side painfully.

            "Michael's really shy. He doesn't like being complimented in public," she offered in my defense, and I looked over at her from around the corner of my menu slightly. I could hear Sakura laughing as well. "You think he'd be used to it, huh?

            "That's what I was thinking," Sakura commented. "Well, I'll give you a minute to decide. You want anything to drink?" She took down all of our drink orders and left, and I sat back up. I REALLY hated it when people paid extra special attention to me. It made me feel…different. I just had a thing for running into open-opinionated people, didn't I? I was surprised they were still friends with me. I hardly ever gave my opinions on things.

            Dinner was strange, to say the least. All the waitresses kept on coming up to me and giving me hugs and saying good-bye. It was like they'd known me all my life and I was leaving for college or something. It was really strange. Ryuichi was smiling happily the whole time, humming a little song and playing with Kumagoro even as he ate.

            "Well, I gotta go na no da!" Ryuichi cheered as he stood up. He hugged Tatsuha, Aiko, and me good-bye before running off with Kumagoro, leaving the three of us standing outside the restaurant.

            "Well, now that Ryuichi's gone it's surprise time for you two. I have a great idea for something fun the three of us can do without Ryuichi in our group." I blushed as Tatsuha wrapped an arm around Aiko and my shoulders, speaking softly. "You wanna know what it is? Do you?" I nodded slowly, and Aiko shoved his arm off of her.

            "Stop teasing us and just tell us already!" she demanded and Tatsuha laughed, pulling two blindfolds out of his pocket. "What the hell are those for Uesugi Tatsuha!" She screamed, hands on her hips as she glared at them.

            "I surprise is a surprise," he offered with a smile, motioning for Aiko to turn around. He tied the blindfold onto her eyes and did the same for me. "I promise you guys you'll have fun," he offered, and we just stood and talked for a long time. I could tell Aiko was getting upset with Tatsuha before we heard a car pull up and Tatsuha led us both inside, sitting down next to me. "I promise you guys you'll have fun." We were in the car for what had to be an hour of constant driving. After a while we stopped, and Tatsuha reached over to cover my ears as we stepped outside, leading me that way.

            "Tatsuha! Don't leave me behind you big jerk!" I could barely hear Aiko screaming as we walked, especially over the noise around us. I was bumping into people left and right at first, but eventually it cleared out. We must have been walking for at least 20 minutes when Tatsuha stopped. After that it was another five minutes of no sight or sounds. I couldn't understand it, where the hell were we? I could hear people all around me from Tatsuha's hands, were we at another mall or something?

            "Alright! Surprise!" he cheered happily, pulling the blindfold off quickly. I heard Aiko shriek from next to him, jumping up and down happily. We were…in front of a stage. No wonder I could hear people all around me.

            "Tatsuha, you're the greatest!" she cheered happily, latching onto him as she continued to jump up and down happily. "I can't believe you got us all first row tickets!" I smiled and glanced over at Tatsuha, who smiled back at me, ignoring the bouncing girl attached to his arm.

            "Ryuichi wanted you to see him sing before you left, so he had Tohma call a concert to make up for their rained out one," he explained and I smiled happily. I was definitely going to miss this when I went back to America. "Oh yeah, he has all your stuff with him, in case you were wondering where it was. I had Shuichi run it to him. He said he'd get Tohma and Ukai-san to sign your NG stuff." I felt like I was going to cry, I was so happy. I couldn't believe I'd grown to be such good friends with someone so famous and caring.

            "Good evening everyone!" I blinked and turned to the stage as Ryuichi's voice carried over the stadium loudly. "I hope you all had fun today!" There was a loud scream from the crowd at that, and Ryuichi's smile brightened. "That's what I thought na no da! Sorry for making you all wait!" he cheered once more before walking back into the shadows. I could see why he was voted one of Japan's sexiest. He looked good in his concert uniform.

            Ryuichi was absolutely amazing; I could hardly believe he was the same person as I watched him perform. He seemed so very lost in his music as he sang, and he was smiling like I hadn't seen him smile before, even around Tatsuha when they thought I wasn't looking. Singing seemed to mean everything to him in those moments.

            "I'm sorry to say it, but the concerts almost over everyone." Ryuichi waited for the crowd to die down before he continued again, smiling the whole time. "I'm sure you've all heard about my relationship over TV, right?" The screams from the crowd were enough to confirm his answer and he smiled brightly. "Well, I want you to all to know he's here right now. I'm not going to tell you where he is…heck, I don't even know that," he offered with a laugh, brushing bangs back from his face. "But, wherever you are out there, I wanted to say I love you. I know it's a bad time and it seems really odd since I'm so much older than you, but I wanted everyone to hear it," he finished softly, and Aiko jumped up and down happily, pulling on Tatsuha's sleeve. Tatsuha didn't even move as she jumped around happily, just stared at Ryuichi. He really did belong to Ryuichi, and I couldn't be sad about it.

            "Tatsuha! That's so sweet! Aren't you going to say anything!" she screamed as the rest of the crowd went into their own cheers. Tatsuha blinked a couple times before looking over at her, shaking his head. She sighed and let go of him, leaning back on the railing happily.

            "Also, I wanted to take this time to say goodbye to one of my friends. He's leaving tomorrow and I'm REALLY sad he has to leave na no da!" he cheered, eyes traveling over the crowd. "I'm not going to point him out if I find him, as much as I want him to come up here with me. If you want to, go on ahead, but I won't make you. I just wanted to say good-bye na no da!" Ryuichi cheered once more and I smiled brightly, waving at him from where I was standing. "Okay! Now that that's done and over with, let's go on with the concert! The last song for this evening will be Sleepless Beauty!" he announced, raising the mike above his head as Tohma and Noriko started. He was so full of energy; I could hardly believe he was real.

            The next morning I woke up reluctantly at 3 AM. My flight left at 4:45, and I still had to get there. I was dead tired, though. The concert had lasted until around 10:30 or 11, and I hadn't gotten to sleep until probably around midnight. I didn't see why I'd bothered going to sleep at all. However, I needed even the smallest bit of sleep, right?

            I was ready by 3:30 and out the door. Aiko's parents had said they'd be waiting for me in the car. My things had been packed in there earlier, so all I had to worry about was getting ready. Aiko was half-awake as she stumbled into the car next to me, sleeping on my shoulder on the drive to the airport. I told her she could have staid home and slept, but she'd been as stubborn as always. She said she wanted to say good-bye enough that she could deal with the lack of sleep.

            "Michael!" I blinked as I stepped out of the car, looking over to see Tatsuha and Ryuichi waving at me happily. Geeze, they sure were energetic for this hour of day. I grabbed my things (most of them. Aiko took the rest) and walked over to them, smiling happily. "Morning!" Ryuichi cheered happily, making Kumagoro wave at me.

            "Morning Ryuichi, Kumagoro, Tatsuha," I greeted, and Tatsuha took a bag from Aiko and me as we talked. "Come on, I want to get rid of this stuff," I offered and everyone followed me, chatting as if it were an average time of day. Surprising how much you could ignore your lack-of sleep when your friends were around.

            I sighed as they called my flight, standing up slowly. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, everyone," I managed softly. I hadn't though I would cry, but I could feel the tears in my eyes as I said goodbye, and they all came up to hug me, saying their own goodbyes.

            "Tatsuha!" Ryuichi pulled Tatsuha away before he could hug me; pulling him so he could whisper something in his ear.

            "Are you sure?" Ryuichi nodded happily, smiling. Tatsuha sighed and pushed a bang from his face.

            "You were going to anyway."          

            "Not without asking you," he offered before walking up to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "You won't be sad or anything if I do this?" he asked and I shook my head slowly. I didn't think I could be any worse off than I already was anyway. "Promise?" I nodded and Tatsuha nodded in return, brushing a bang back from my face. I barely had time to register what was going on before he leaned over and kissed me softly. I felt the tears run down my cheeks at that and Tatsuha wiped them away. This was exactly what I'd been hoping would happen, what I'd dreamed would happen. I couldn't believe it was actually happening, that he was kissing me even when he had Ryuichi. "We'll all really miss you," he whispered as he pulled away, eyes half-open. I nodded slowly, still dazed. "Don't cry, or everyone else will be sad," he whispered again, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

            "Sorry, I…I guess I just can't help it. I…I guess I'll see you around then," I offered with a small smile, grabbing my bag and running onto the plane. I didn't want to leave them all behind. They were the best friends I'd ever had.

            "Don't forget to write us na no da!" I heard Ryuichi cheer as I ran off and I nodded, turning around to wave quickly, watching the three of them wave back at me. I guess things would be okay somehow. It wasn't like I'd never talk to them again, right?

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YES! Done! Wow, that was a LOT longer than any of my other chapters. Oh well, I had a lot I wanted to do. I mean, Michael's last day couldn't be uneventful, right? Well, everyone say good-bye to Michael! *waves bye-bye*

Ugh. I might not update for a while after this, I need to write chapter 2 of my Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic.

Remember, reviews make the authoress fonder. Your reviews have been SO inspiring for me!


	25. As we grow older

Disclaimers: Gravitation doesn't belong to me. If it did I'm sure the creator would weep at what I have done to it.

Notes: Now we're back to another YukixShuichi interlude. Told from Yuki's point of view this time. I'm not sure when Japanese schools get out, but we'll just say that it's some time early April.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer To Your God*~

            I sighed as I finally left my office that morning, determined to make myself some coffee. I needed the caffeine. I'd been up writing almost all night as well, and it was beginning to take its toll on my mind. I could feel my body begging for sleep already. I'd managed to squeeze an hour or two in at some point, but Shuichi really had forced me behind in my writing when he'd forced me to go with him to that kid's house. I still hadn't managed to catch up, even when he was away. It was then that I'd fallen even more behind. I couldn't write without the assurance that Shuichi was nearby. I needed him around when I was bored.

            The idiot was still asleep, and I was curious enough to check the clock. Four AM, not that bad. I was normally out around three. Making my way to the kitchen I started my coffee brainlessly. It didn't take much thought to make coffee, after all. Even Shuichi could do it. However, in my tired state there was no way that I was going to be able to write without it. Therefore, I wandered back into the living room as I waited for the coffee to finish.

I sat down on the couch next to Shuichi, a hand resting on his side gently. For some reason I never grew tired of looking at him, especially while he was asleep. He looked so peaceful, something you rarely got to see while he was awake, he was normally too busy running around and cheering energetically to relax. I couldn't help but wonder how I must look while I'm still asleep, if Shuichi had ever sat awake and watched me sleep like I do him on those occasions when I can't sleep.

            Shuichi moved slightly, turning to burry his face in his pillow, clutching it to his face even in his sleep. I smiled slightly and stood up, fairly sure that my coffee was done already. If not than it would be soon.

            I had been right, it was done. I poured myself a cup and walked back to my office, met with a dull stare from Shuichi. He made a whining sound and sat up, staring at me dully.

            "Why do you always have to do that so early in the morning?" he demanded, still not fully awake. "I mean, can't you sleep normal times? Or at least semi-normal?" I shook my head and Shuichi sighed, falling back to lie down on the couch. "I'm never going to get back to sleep," he whined and I set my cup down on the table across from him, sitting back down on the couch as he lied back down. He smiled up at me happily, taking one of my hands in his.

            "Why don't you wake up then?" I asked and Shuichi pouted up at me, pulling his blanket higher. "Well?"

            "I'm tired," he whined again, a hand unconsciously reaching up to wipe sleep from his eyes. "If it wasn't for your stupid coffee I'd still be sleeping peacefully," he bitched, squirming a little bit, making himself more comfortable. "Why don't you sleep instead of drinking that coffee? It'll do you more good," he offered, pulling on my hand gently. Slowly he raised his other harm to encircle my waist, sliding it up my back to push me ever closer to him. "Come on," he whispered sweetly, lips brushing against mine as he spoke.

            "Not a chance," I answered softly, closing the space between us. Shuichi squirmed a bit more as we kissed, pressing himself closer to me. I slowly moved to pull the blanket away from him, letting it hang off the side of the couch. As we pulled apart I picked him up so we could change positions, leaving me to lie on the couch, with him lying on my chest. "You're spoiled, you know that?" I asked as he curled up against me, burying his head under my chin and closing his eyes.

            "I'm vaguely aware of it," he offered in return, yawning as I covered us both with his blanket. We both fell asleep shortly, and I didn't care that I was once again giving into him, it was worth it sometimes.

            He was already gone when I woke up, and I felt strangely alone. True, I was used to waking up alone, but not after falling asleep with Shuichi. He normally slept longer than I did. Then again, Shuichi hadn't been pulling all-nighters writing for the last couple of days. I guess it was to be expected.

            I growled as the phone rang, reaching over my head to pick it up. I still wasn't quite awake. "Hello?" I bitched into the receiver, waiting for the other person to respond.

            "Nice to see you're in a good mood, as always." Great, Hiro. Why at a time like this? I didn't get along with him, everyone was aware of that. Why in the world had he felt the need to pester me this time? Shuichi had a cell phone for a REASON. "Anyway, I was calling as a friendly reminder that there's something you'd BETTER not forget today," he snapped and I sat up. Was he THREATENING me? "I would check and see if there's anything special you might want to remember today," he offered cheerfully, and I heard the phone click as he hung up. The NERVE of that little punk. If he wasn't Shuichi's best friend I would have made him regret ever speaking like that to me.

            Sighing I got up and walked back into my office, starting my computer up from its standby faze. What time was it? 5:24, lovely. There went a lot of my writing time today. My eye traveled automatically to the blinking date next to the time, wondering why in the world it would be doing that. I knew that it blinked when I had an occasion marked, but the only occasions I marked were my due-dates for my books. Strange…

            Curiously I actually checked the date, clicking on it. Oh. Well, that explained a lot. I figured it out before the program even opened up, but the written reminder only confirmed the information for me. Sighing I closed down the calendar and leaned back in my seat. I was sure this meant that I wasn't going to get any writing done today.

            "Umm…Yuki?" I blinked and looked over towards the door where Shuichi was standing patiently, arms crossed behind his back as he smiled cheerfully. "I made you some more coffee, since the stuff you made this morning was cold," he offered sweetly and I nodded. He nodded once in return and turned to leave.

            "Hey, brat," Shuichi blinked and turned his head to stare at me, hand still resting on the door handle. His violet eyes were opened a little wider in surprise, and he looked completely clueless while at the same time absolutely adorable. "Happy birthday." Shuichi's eyes lit up brightly, and a smile lit up his features as well.

            "Yuki remembered!" he cheered happily, and before I could blink he was sitting in my lap, hugging me tightly. "I didn't think you'd remember," he cheered happily, being as quiet as possible seeing as he was right near my poor, vulnerable ear. I sighed and held him gently, running fingers through his hair. It was an addiction, I swear it.

            We stayed like that for a while before Shuichi stood up again, smiling brightly. "I can't believe you actually remembered!" he cheered again, twirling around happily. "Sorry I'm being disruptive, but I'm just so happy!" he cheered once more, scrambling out of my office happily, probably off to celebrate by himself. Everyone was aware that I wasn't about to go celebrate with him.

            I sighed and tried to go back to my work, opening the document and rereading the sentence I had stopped at in order to refresh my memory. As much as I would have liked to have some of the coffee Shuichi had made for me, truth was that I didn't need it anymore. He'd get over it eventually, right? Although, I couldn't help but feel guilty that Shuichi had gone to the trouble and I was completely ignoring him. Even I could feel guilty about such things, no matter how small and trivial they REALLY were.

            I closed back down the document, not bothering to save what I HADN'T managed to get done. I would get some coffee, then Shuichi would want dinner, and then he'd probably be hanging all over me the rest of the day. Not to say I minded in the least. Actually, I might as well just take him out for dinner. I didn't feel like cooking much of anything at the moment. Besides, I had this feeling that I should do SOMETHING for him for his birthday.

            I left my office slowly, still suffering from the effects of just waking up not too long ago. I sighed and dragged my ass over to the kitchen, pouring myself a small cup of coffee. At least it might serve to wake me up and restore my better sense of judgment. Taking Shuichi out today was probably going to end in some sort of disaster, but I couldn't care at the moment. Besides, if by some miracle things turned out all right, things would end up perfect the rest of the day. It was a rule with Shuichi. By doing anything with him, you were taking a fifty-fifty chance that the rest of your day was going to be either perfect or miserable. It depended on what happened while you were out.

             As I walked back into the living room Shuichi was lying on the couch, happily chatting away with someone else on the phone. Probably Hiro. Not that I cared whom he was talking to. So long as they didn't bother me I could care less who was on the other end of the phone. Hell, I didn't care who was calling me half of the time, anyway.

            Walking over to him I pulled on his hair slightly and mouthed the word 'dinner' as he looked up at me. He shrugged, still listening to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

            'What about it?' he mouthed back and I pointed to the door. He seemed confused for a moment before muttering an apology to his friend and promising to call him back later. "So what's this about dinner?" he asked as he hung up the phone, sitting up and shoving it into his pocket as he stared up at me from the couch. "We going out?" he asked cutely, head tilting slightly to the side as he spoke.

            "Yes. Do you not want to?" Shuichi shook his head quickly and bounced up, smiling happily at me.

            "Of course I want to go!' he cheered happily, bouncing once to prove his excitement. I sighed and followed after his energetic form, which was currently bouncing over to the door. "So where are we going?" he asked as I followed him out the door, turning to lock it behind us. He had to know everything, didn't he?

            "I don't know. You pick. It's your birthday after all." Shuichi's eyes lit up happily and he attached himself to my arm as we walked down the hallway. He was so energetic today, and for good reason. However, as adorable as he looked my arm was starting to tingle so I was forced to push him away from me halfway through the elevator ride.

            "Um…wherever we went last time. That place was really nice!" Shuichi cheered happily and I winced. That place was not only really nice but really expensive. Not to say that I couldn't afford it, but it was more money than I'd normally spend going out to eat. However, as stated before it was his birthday and I could stretch it a bit for special occasions.

            "Alright." Shuichi jumped happily, causing the elevator to shake about, before latching back onto me.

            "Yuki is the greatest! I promise I'll make it up to you, Yuki!" he cheered happily, rubbing his cheek against my shoulder happily. I had no idea where he'd picked up that habit, but it only made him seem more catlike at times.

            "It's a birthday present idiot. You don't have to pay me back," I stated clearly and Shuichi made a soft whining sound, standing up on his tiptoes so he could whisper in my ear.

            "I want to pay you back." A flash of that evil smile and he was back to normal, skipping off to the car and waving at me to hurry up. Oh yes, today was going to be a GOOD day.

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Yay! Done with chapter 25 at LAST! I've been working on this for a long time now. This just wouldn't come out right and I couldn't find any sort of inspiration for it.

Oh, Brit-chan, the reason I don't post my lemon is because I don't want to change my story to R right now. Nothing else in this story deserves an R rating, so I don't want to rate it R for just a chapter or two of it.

Ok, now for my chapterly review begging. *Gets on knees and clasps hands* PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! They really do help me write faster. I got so many motivational reviews for this I was working on it the day after I posted chapter 24, I just got REALLY stuck for a while (which is why it turned out like it did).

See, I'm not lying. So PLEASE review. *begs*


	26. Growing up

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me, but I'm having my Dilandau chibis work on it.

Notes: We're back to Tatsuha's point of view. Fast forwarding time a bit here.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I parked the car in front of Eiri's apartment. The car had been a graduation present from Mika, and the money for my license a birthday present from Shuichi. Nice presents, I must say. It was nice having a rich family sometimes. Eiri had called not too long after I'd returned to Ryuichi's place to say he had something he wanted to give me as well. I was absolutely starving (it had to be around 7 by now) but Ryuichi had said we could stop for food after we saw what my brother wanted. I'd spent all day being pushed from house to house getting graduation presents and being congratulated and being asked that same damned question over and over again: Now what?

However, I severely doubted that was what I was here for. Eiri probably wanted Shuichi to stay with Ryuichi tonight or something, and didn't have the energy to drive him over there. It was their way of resolving writing conflicts. Shuichi would stay with someone else and let Eiri write whenever he was being too annoying.

            "Come on, let's go see what he wants from me," I managed with a smile, pulling the keys out of the car and shoving them in my pocket. Ryuichi leaned over suddenly and kissed me, pulling away shortly after and smiling.

            "I haven't gotten a chance to kiss Tatsuha today na no da," he explained, sitting up and exiting the car. We'd been together two years now and I was starting to doubt this was all really happening. I'd moved in with him back in early March, and nothing had really gone wrong since the whole thing with Michael. Hell, the reporters didn't even bother to make a scene out of my moving in. there had really only been one major change in my life since that time.

            I leaned against the wall as we waited for the elevator to reach Eiri's floor. Ryuichi chatted with Kumagoro happily as we waited, making Kumagoro dance happily as he talked. He was so very childishly cute at times. As the elevator doors opened Ryuichi hopped out happily and turned to offer a hand to me as I stepped out. I smiled and took it, and we both walked to my brother's apartment hand-in-hand, Ryuichi swinging Kumagoro next to him happily as we walked.

            I knocked on the door carefully as we reached his apartment; having left my spare keys at Ryuichi's…our place. I hadn't had the time to run back and get them, and if Eiri really was just dumping Shuichi on me, I didn't want to aggravate him any more. Pissing off my brother wasn't a very good idea, sometimes.

            "Tatsuha, congratulations!" I almost fell over as Shuichi attached himself to me, cheering happily. Eiri was standing in the doorway looking rather displeased. Ryuichi let go of my hand and stared at me a while in confusion before smiling brightly as well.

            "Shuichi!" he screamed as he hugged the both of us, not wanting to be left out of the action. He was never one to stay out of anything very long. Shuichi laughed and hugged him as well before finally detangling himself from the whole mess with some trouble. Ryuichi wasn't going to let go of either of us for anything. He still had a hold on Shuichi's shirt as he pulled away, while still holding Kumagoro's hand tightly.

            "Hey Eiri, what's up?" I asked after a short while, looking past Ryuichi and Shuichi to my brother. He shrugged, and Shuichi tried to latch onto him as Ryuichi was to me, but Ryuichi's hand in his shirt kept him from being able to get to him. I laughed at that, stepping closer to Shuichi could at least grab onto Eiri's hand. "I should have expected an answer like that."

            "Tatsuha-san?" I blinked as a familiar voice sounded from next to me and I turned to face Aiko, looking absolutely confused. She smiled slightly and bowed. "It's nice to see you again," she offered softly, hands clasping behind her back as she smiled at Ryuichi and me. We hadn't been in classes together after our sophomore year. Although we'd still hung out every weekend of our junior year, we both had so many things to do over senior year that we'd lost touch. Only occasionally did I see her in the hallways, and that was the only time we had the opportunity to talk.

            "Nice to see you again. Congratulations. You look really nice today, Aiko-san," I offered with a smile as well. I would have bowed had Ryuichi not been attached to me. Aiko blushed slightly and her smile widened. Her hair was longer now, and done into fancy loops at the top of her head, covered in glitter and flowers. It worked perfectly with the dress she was wearing, a pale pink with darker pink flowers decorating it.

            "Congratulations. You look really nice, too. Nice to see you two again as well, Sakuma-san, Shindo-san, and I'm guessing Yuki-san is inside somewhere?" she offered happily, waving to Ryuichi and Shuichi.

            "Congratulations Aiko-san. Yuki's right here but he's being a grump like always," Shuichi offered with a smile, tugging on Eiri's hand to prove his point.

            "Congratulations!" Ryuichi echoed, finally letting go of Shuichi and me. He walked over to Aiko happily and hugged her, and I followed him, doing the same. "So, what did Yuki-san want us all here for na no ka?" he asked, turning to face the door again. Shuichi smiled and motioned for us all to follow him inside and we did, Ryuichi attached to both Aiko's and my hands.

            "Congratulations you two!" I jumped as I caught sight of the room full of people, and Ryuichi was immediately attached to my arm. It was all my family and friends, minus dad. He wouldn't have come for anything, I bet. After a little while (when the room grew less quiet and people started to relax and talk) Ryuichi finally calmed down and let go of me.

            "Well…I wasn't expecting that," I admitted with a laugh, resting a hand on Ryuichi's head. Aiko punched my arm playfully, glaring up at me even though a smile was shining on her face happily. Even Eiri was smiling slightly, holding Sakura and leaning against the doorframe. Sakura was the only really big change in my life since Michael. She was Mika and Tohma's daughter, and the cutest little thing you could ever imagine.

            "Ta!" I smiled as she reached out for me, taking her from Eiri carefully. She'd always just referred to me as Ta. It was cute. I'd probably let her do it for the rest of her life. She smiled and waved at me before leaning against me and clinging to my shirt.

            "Aw! She's so adorable!" Aiko gushed as Sakura clung to me, eyes lighting up in that way that only girl's can when faced with an adorable little baby.

            "Aw, Yuki, you look so sad now that she's gone," Shuichi pointed out with a sly smile on his face, curling up against Eiri and smiling up at him.

            "Don't say it."

            "I think that's why we should get one." Shuichi was promptly smacked aside the head for that, and he left Eiri alone, pouting miserably as he walked over to Ryuichi and me. "You agree with me, don't you Tatsuha? Yuki should let me adopt a baby. It's not his choice what I do, right?" I laughed and Ryuichi let go of me and walked over to hug Shuichi in sympathy.

            "It's my choice whether you live here or not," he offered coldly, yet he was smiling ever so slightly. Shuichi just shook his head and let it go, patting Ryuichi's back as he found he wasn't going to let go. Unlike Ryuichi, both Shuichi and Eiri were well aware that the other one wasn't serious. Shuichi wouldn't do anything like that without my brother's permission, and Eiri wouldn't kick Shuichi out permanently for anything.

            "So, I'm well aware you've heard this before, but what are you going to do now Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked as Ryuichi and his conversation seemed to stop, reaching up to take one of Sakura's hands in his. He and Ryuichi had both grown very attached to the little ball of energy, being hyper enough themselves.

            "I'm not sure. I'd never really thought about it until a couple months ago, and then it was a little too late," I answered truthfully and Shuichi nodded, still playing with Sakura's hand. She turned to smile at him, shaking his finger happily and laughing. Aiko sighed and crossed her arms, leaning onto her back foot as she stared at the ceiling.

            "I wish Michael was here. He'd have so much fun, you know?" I nodded and Ryuichi immediately reached out to latch onto my hand. He and Michael had been friends and all, but he was still a little jumpy whenever the subject came up. I think he was afraid that I might like Michael more now that he was gone. I wished I could assure him that that wasn't going to happen.

            "Yeah, he would. Even though he probably wouldn't do anything, he'd enjoy being around everyone again. You miss him, don't you?" Aiko jumped suddenly, and turned to stare at me, eyes wide. "Everyone could tell you liked him, Aiko. Besides, there's no one for you to tease just down the hall anymore." Aiko laughed and nodded.

            "That's true. Well, enough about that! We'll just have to write him and tell him about it, right?" I nodded and she nodded as well, turning to chat with Shuichi. Shuichi seemed glad someone was paying attention to him and talked with her happily, and I passed Sakura onto him before he could figure out what was going on.

            "So, what's up with you?" I asked, leaning against the wall next to my brother, hand still attached to Ryuichi's. "You don't seem as grumpy as usual, you know?" Eiri shrugged and I leaned my head back against the wall. It was hard to get Eiri to talk at all, some times. I opened my mouth to speak but Eiri cut me off.

            "I should have expected that." I laughed and nodded, pulling Ryuichi closer to me and wrapping an arm around his waist. I didn't know why, but I wanted him close to me. Especially after he had been acting so jumpy while Aiko and I were talking about Michael. "So, how have things been going for you two?" I smiled and ran my hand absently over Ryuichi's back.

            "Great. You?" Eiri sighed and waved towards Shuichi dismissively. He was currently sitting on the couch and playing with Sakura with Aiko. I couldn't help but laugh at the picture they made. "You know he's not going to leave you alone about the baby," I offered as Shuichi turned to look over at us, making Sakura wave at us both. Eiri reached a hand up as a lazy sort of wave, rolling his eyes.

            "I'm aware." Ryuichi laughed as well and curled up against me, wrapping his arms around me waist as he rested his head against my shoulder. I sighed and reached a hand up to run fingers through his hair.

            "What's wrong? You haven't talked to me in a while now," I asked softly. There were times Ryuichi truly did act like a little child. It was cute in a way, but sometimes it was a little difficult to deal with. I mean, how can you kiss someone who's staring up at you with 'I want that toy for Christmas daddy,' eyes and playing with the edge of his shirt like a shy seven-year-old without feeling sick to your stomach? It was hard to do.

            "Tatsuha talks to Ryuichi all the time, he should talk with some other people while he's here. You haven't seen Aiko in a while, talk to her, or your brother like you were," he offered with a smile, staring up at me. I couldn't believe we'd really lasted this long. He was so perfect, so absolutely perfect.

            "Hey, where's Kumagoro?" I asked as Eiri obviously got sick of hanging around and finally disappeared back into his office. Ryuichi blinked a couple times before smiling again and giggling a little bit.

            "I gave him to Sakura-chan to play with. I told Shuichi to take care of him, so he'll be okay na no da. I trust you and Shuichi with Kumagoro." I smiled happily and kissed his forehead softly.

            "I feel so loved." Ryuichi giggled, reaching up to pull me back down for a real kiss, pressing his forehead against mine and smiling as we separated.

            "You should." It wasn't too long after that when Ryuichi and I decided it wasn't doing us any good to stay where we were and we moved to sit next to Aiko and Shuichi, Ryuichi talking with Shuichi happily as I talked to Aiko, who was currently holding Sakura.

            Unfortunately Aiko had to leave for her own family get-together by eight thirty and Sakura had fallen asleep on me about that time, signaling for Mika and Tohma to leave. Everyone else sort of disappeared after that. Rather than stay around I figured it was about time I got something to eat and went home. Shuichi would probably be upset I was leaving, but Ryuichi was starting to look like he wanted to go home, too.

            "Ryuichi, do you want Kumagoro want to go back home now?" I asked softly as I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him away from his conversation with Shuichi. He blinked a couple times before nodding, making Kumagoro cover his hands as I kissed his neck softly. "Well then, I guess we'll be leaving. See you later Shuichi," I offered happily, letting go of Ryuichi so we could both stand up.

            "Aw….bye-bye you two. Come by every once in a while. We never get to talk anymore Tatsuha," he whined, jumping up to hug me. Shuichi was almost family, by now, we all just referred to him as such, even though he and Eiri weren't technically 'married.' Well, all of us except father, of course.

            "I'll see you later Shuichi," I offered again and Ryuichi went about saying his goodbyes as I peered into my brother's office quietly. "Ei~ri." Eiri jumped before turning to glare at me, deleting the letters he'd accidentally typed when I'd surprised him without even looking. "Me and Ryuichi are leaving now. I thought you might want to know." Eiri nodded and I ran inside to hug him quickly. "I'll see you later," I offered and I felt Eiri hug me back softly. It was sort of awkward, but it'd been so long since last I'd seen him. Despite the changes he'd gone through upon his return from New York, I had always tried to be as close to him as I had been before. I'd sort of lost touch recently.

            "See you later," he offered as I let go, waving and running back outside and practically running into Ryuichi. Ryuichi laughed and stepped back a little, giving me room to shut the door behind him. Shuichi was on his toes and looking over his shoulder, smiling happily.

            "You and Yuki are so cute together sometimes, you know?" Shuichi asked innocently and I laughed, pulling Ryuichi away from Shuichi and watching as Shuichi wavered a little bit before regaining his balance and standing normally.

            "Bye-bye Shuichi!" Ryuichi cheered happily as we left, waving until the elevator doors closed and we could no longer see Shuichi. As the elevator descended Ryuichi hummed a little song to himself happily, playing with Kumagoro like he had been when we had first arrived at my brother's house.

            I sighed as we finally made it out of the drive through on our way back home, setting the bag between Ryuichi and me. I was starving, I needed food REALLY soon. Thankfully it wasn't that long until we were back at the house, and as soon as I parked and shut off the car we ate, not even bothering to go back into the house. I felt like I was going to be sick if I didn't eat sometime soon. I hadn't eaten lunch today, so I was running on hardly anything at all. I had been too busy talking with Aiko and my brother to grab anything to eat there.

            "Tatsuha, when we get upstairs I wanna give you a present, too," Ryuichi offered happily as he dropped his trash into the bag and leaned back in his seat, waiting for me to finish. Unlike me he'd gotten a chance to eat on the way home. I envied him for always riding passenger sometimes, although it was also sort of nice to drive. I smiled to myself happily as I finished, dropping my own trash into the bag.

            "Really, now? Will I enjoy it?" I asked as I folded the top of the bag and handed it to Ryuichi. I drove him there; he could at least take the trash up with him. Besides, I was too busy wondering over what little delight my present could be. Probably something highly enjoyable, seeing as my darling Ryuichi was giving it to me. Believe it or not I'd actually managed a full two years with Ryuichi without once ever having sex. No one believed me when I told them that, but that was their problem. I don't think Ryuichi would let me even if I tried. I'd only been 18 for a while now, and things had been so hectic the last couple of months that I hadn't felt the necessity for it, with everything else that was going on in my life. However, I was definitely interested again, now that school was out.

            "Come on, come on! Hurry, hurry!" he cheered as he pulled me through the front door, dropping the bag in the kitchen trash before running me into his room and motioning for me to sit down on the bed. "Close your eyes and don't open them," he demanded, looking cute and childishly demanding, and I did what I was told. I wasn't about to go against darling little Ryuichi. He immediately tied something over my eyes and I heard him skip out. Sighing I lied down and prepared to wait. Unlike Shuichi Ryuichi took a while getting things ready, always wanting to make sure that they looked perfect. I could be waiting for an hour for all I knew.

            I felt the bed shift a few minutes later and I was well aware that Ryuichi was back. I was surprised it had been such a short wait, actually. Not to be rude but it was just Ryuichi's way, to be perfectionist about things.

            "Do you like na no ka?" he asked as he undid the blindfold, a happy yet confused look on his face. He was wearing a tiny, tight black shirt (sort of made like Shuichi's) and short jean shorts, necklaces dangling from his neck and resting on my chest gently. A small strip of cloth was tied around his right forearm. He looked absolutely beautiful, more so than that day he'd performed for me, even. I was so very glad he was mine.

            "Of course. Is this my present?" I asked as I reached a hand up to caress his cheek, and a sly smile drew over that pretty little face of his.

            "Not all of it," he answered softly, leaning forward to kiss me softly. I had the slightest feeling that Ryuichi was going to be making this a VERY memorable graduation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Whee! Okay, I'm done with part one of this. I should be done with part two by the end of the week, but I am DEAD tired right now and I want to get this half of it up at least. If you want the second part (lemon) just e-mail me about it and I'll try to send it to you as soon as I get it done. It might be a long wait, it might not be. You never know with me.

The chapters are getting longer and longer as we draw to the end, whereas they were short-ish in the beginning.

PLEASE review! This took a long time for me to write, I've actually been working on it since about a day after I posted chapter 25, whenever that was, but it seems like FOREVER to me! I'll be eternally grateful to all you people who can take time out to review this. They really do make me write tons faster.


	27. The things I just can't live without

Disclaimers: Gravitation does not belong to me. Anyone who brings me the rights will get… I dunno, a free story???

Notes: I'M BACK!!! FINALLY! I was planning my return WAY earlier than this, but Beauty and the Beast was turning out better than my attempts at this. Also, I had a comic book to make for World History. Sorry to anyone waiting for the lemon, I just can't get it to work, so I'm writing this before I do that so other people dun have to wait.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I stared up at the ceiling, stretching my feet over the edge of the couch as I stared up at the ceiling. I was bored na no da, Kumagoro was off taking a nap somewhere and Tatsuha was always so busy working, but I couldn't complain. At least they were both there, and that was enough…I think.

            Sighing again I reached up to grab the back of my couch, raising myself to lean back on my free hand and stare over the back at Tatsuha, flipping through the pages of some book, searching quickly. "Tatsuha, are you bored?" I asked, watching as he slid a piece of paper to mark his page and turned to face me, eyebrows raised slightly.

            "Do I have time to be bored?" Shaking my head I fell back onto the couch, resuming my previous activity. NOTHING was on TV. Besides, I didn't want to distract Tatsuha. I didn't want him to go into the other room and leave me alone with a stupid box. Some TV wasn't better than my Tatsuha na no da!

"You must be bored out of your mind, though, huh?" Tatsuha asked as he sat down beside my head, running fingers through my hair gently. I nodded slowly and Tatsuha sighed, leaning back to stare at the ceiling as well. He looked tired, and I was aware it was mostly my fault. He was trying really hard, I could TELL, but I guess I wasn't being much more than a pain just lounging around the house and complaining.

            Tohma was so busy helping to promote Bad Luck and all those boring business things he did (only at work, of course), that he couldn't possibly work in time for Nittle Grasper. That was all right, though, everyone said I needed a break and Noriko wanted more time with her family as well. However, Kumagoro and I were now subject to long periods of boredom. Most times we visited Shuichi and everyone but they were busy a lot, today included.

            "Do you want to go out and do something, then?" Tatsuha asked after a while, closing his eyes and waiting for my answer. I always felt so bad when he did that, so that I almost didn't want to go sometimes. However, he looked disappointed when I said no. I couldn't see why na no da, I was just trying to be nice. I guess he just didn't think that way about it, but I wouldn't know. I can't read minds or anything!

            "What about all that work you have to do na no ka?" Tatsuha blinked and looked down at me cutely, tilting his head to the side slightly. He looked so cute when he did that…not to say he wasn't always cute, but…different, I suppose.

            "Come on, I'm not so overworked we can't go somewhere. I don't think anyone's cruel enough to try and do that to you." I smiled and reached over my head to take his hand in mine, he looked like he did when I first met him, except his hair was a little longer. We needed to go get it cut soon; it was starting to look a little bit like mine. We couldn't both have the same haircut, could we?

            "Alright then." Tatsuha smiled and stood up, pulling me up and off the couch by my hand gently. "What do you want to go do? I know a movie's out, since you've been doing nothing other than watching TV all day, huh?" I nodded, still smiling. I was just glad to be spending time with Tatsuha; we didn't have to GO anywhere. Blinking Tatsuha looked down at his watch, eyes widening as he caught sight of the time. "Geeze, it's already four. Man, I feel so old, loosing track of time like that…" I laughed and squeezed Tatsuha's hand in reassurance.

            "Don't worry about it, I loose track of time all the time and I'M not old na no da." I offered in reassurance and Tatsuha laughed, nodding his agreement.

            "I guess this just means I'm in touch with my inner child, right?" I nodded happily and Tatsuha laughed again, reaching his free hand out to wrap around my waist. "So, do you want to run out and get some early dinner or something? I haven't eaten since this morning."

            "Not true. You ate some snacks around lunchtime and watched TV with me for a little bit na no da. You don't have to take me out, I'm fine, you know…" Tatsuha glared at me and I shut up. His smile was immediately restored and he pulled me closer to him.

            "I want to spend time with Ryuichi, too, you know." I smiled and hugged him back; I'd missed 'hanging out' with Tatsuha a lot, actually. I mean, it was great that he was living with me now, but that didn't mean we couldn't still go around and just have fun, right na no ka? "Alright, now come on. It's been a while since we visited the girls, huh?"

            "Yeah!" I cheered happily, pulling away and dragging Tatsuha outside, stopping only as he stopped to lock the door. Stupid little technicalities! Although I really didn't want people breaking into my house and kidnapping Kumagoro I wanted to get there ASAP! "Hey everyone na no da!" I cheered happily as I walked inside, smiling brightly.

            "Ah, Ryuichi! It's been forever!" Michiko cheered, running over to me. "Asako's working today, too, I'll be sure she can come out and say hello, too!" she cheered happily and I couldn't help but pout a little bit. I wanted to see them all, but…obviously only two of them were working today.

            "Do you know when Sakura's going to be working again?" I asked as we sat down, hoping to stop by and say hi. I really missed talking to her. Michiko blinked and thought for a while. "What, do you two not talk anymore na no ka?" I asked, not wanting to hold Michiko up any longer. I was sure she had other things she should have been doing.

            "I haven't seen her working recently. I'll ask Asako about it later, alright?" Michiko asked as she left, already knowing what we would want. I was glad people here knew me so well, I felt so strange around people who didn't know me, I felt like they were going out of their way for me or something. I guess it was something I should have gotten used to, being famous and all that, but I hadn't. I mean, sure, I could deal with it, but I still didn't like it.

            "Ryuichi!" I jumped as someone attached themselves to my neck, laughing like the idiot that I was. Tatsuha was looking at me funny but at the same time not at all surprised. "I missed you so much! So did everyone else! We didn't think you were going to come around anymore, we thought you were too busy with Tatsuha!" she cheered, looking over at Tatsuha to wink at him, smiling brightly.

            "Of course not. I really missed you all na no da. You should know better Asako." Asako laughed and nodded, tucking a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. She sat down next to me and leaning back, crossing her arms behind her head and smiling happily.

            "I just got off work so you guys don't mind if I join you for a while, do you?" she asked, glancing over at me. I shook my head slowly, still smiling as well. I really did miss this place. I couldn't believe it had been so long since I came by for something to eat…dessert even! "Oh…Michiko said you were looking for Sakura, right?" I nodded quickly, pulling a pen out of my pocket to write the date down. If Tatsuha wasn't busy we could BOTH run by and at least say hello. "She quit a couple weeks ago. She got a better job offer and since you two weren't coming around anymore we told her to go for it. Rieko and Shizue quit, too."

            "Really?" Tatsuha asked, leaning forward to lean against the table, eyes wide. Sighing I placed my pen back in my pocket. I should have known better. Everyone was too busy to spend time with me now a days, I shouldn't have expected anything else.

            "Yeah. She still drops by every once in a while, though. Every Tuesday, if I remember correctly. Yeah, I think that's it," Asako offered cheerfully, turning to smile at me. "Come on Ryuichi, cheer up. You still have Tatsuha and Kumagoro and me and all the other girls, right? Things can't be that bad." I smiled slightly and nodded. That was enough for me…it always had been.

            "Yeah, don't look so upset, Ryuichi. You know me and Kumagoro can't live with a sad Ryuichi," Tatsuha offered, reaching across the table to take my hand in his, smiling slightly. I smiled in return, nodding. Tatsuha was always going to be there for me…but somewhere deep down something told me that that really wasn't enough for me.

            "Ryuichi, something's been bothering you," Tatsuha offered after we left, and dully I noted that it was starting to get dark. We must have been in there a lot longer than I thought. Asako had run off home only a half hour after stopping by, afraid that she was going to be in trouble for being out so late. "You know you can tell me what it is, right?" he asked again, wrapping an arm around my waist and leaning over to kiss the top of my head softly.

            "It's nothing, really. I'm just really tired na no da. You know I get tired when I'm not running all over the place," I offered with my normal smile, and Tatsuha nodded, looking relieve. Why would he think that there was something wrong? Everything was just fine na no da! I mean, I'd gotten to see Michiko and Asako on op of spending time with Tatsuha, that was the BEST!

            However, the next morning I wasn't so sure about that. There just seemed to be something missing as I crawled out of bed and peered outside into the dim lighting of my living room. Tatsuha was sleeping on the couch, an open book resting on his lap as Nittle Grasper music played softly in the background.

            Smiling I walked over to him and sat down, leaning to rest my head on his shoulder. There was no way I was going to be able to drag him into bed without waking him, so I could stay out here with him. He was always up early doing this or that; it was kind of rare that he wasn't already doing something by the time I woke up. Then again, he had things to do…I didn't. I could sleep in as long as I wanted and no one would say a word about it. Well, Tatsuha might have, but that would only be after he finally realized what time it was. He really was bad with time.

            "Morning gorgeous, you're up early," he offered sleepily, cracking an eye open to look down at me. I blinked and checked my watch, looking up back up at him in disbelief.

            "It's 9, Tatsuha." He just nodded and closed his eyes again, leaning back against the couch.

            "Well, that would explain it now, wouldn't it?" I nodded and pushed a piece of paper between the pages of his book and shut it gently, setting it on the floor. Gently I pushed him to lie down, laying down on top of him and closing my eyes. I felt his arms wrap around me gently and I smiled, just enjoying the feeling of being close to him. "I love this song," he offered offhandedly as we lay there, and I laughed softly.

            "So do I…I miss singing, Tatsuha," I whined softly, fingers clenching around his shirt gently. "I mean…I know Tohma's WAY too busy for Nittle Grasper right now, but I want to sing again na no da." I felt Tatsuha's arms wrap tighter around me as I felt like I was going to cry. Singing was everything to me, and there was no way I could live my life without it.

            "I know. I don't know what to do about it, though, Ryuichi." Sighing I opened my eyes to stare at the back of the couch, fighting my next question as best I could. However, it was the only thing I could think of…

            "Tatsuha?" Tatsuha let go of me as I sat up slowly, and I stared down at him, he looked so very concerned. Tatsuha stared up at me as well and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and I reached up to take his hand in mine gently. "I…I want to go back to America. Come with me?" I managed, a single tear escaping from my eyes as I spoke. I didn't want to leave my friends behind here, but I couldn't stay here, either. I NEEDED Tatsuha to go with me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I AM DONE! I am SO very sorry it took me so long to get this out, but it's DONE now! I just hadn't hit the inspiration for it until a couple days ago, but now I'm back on track.

I think I've just had one too many ideas going at a time, and I'm sorry about that everyone.

I doubt hardly anyone's going to want to read this anymore, but I can hope a few people still like my crappy old 'haven't updated in a THOUSAND years' fanfics.


	28. You mean everything to me, and then some

Disclaimers: Gravitation still doesn't belong to me, as much as it may surprise you people.

Notes: I'm BACK!!! I'm freaking back! If anyone still reads this story I'll be surprised, but I'm going to finish it even if it kills me! I was almost done, too, and then BOOM! It rolled over and fell asleep when Beauty and the Beast took shape.

Back to Shuichi's point of view.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I sighed as I finally hung up the phone, rubbing at my poor ear. I had to have been on the phone for HOURS with Ryuichi, and I had nothing to show for it but a sore ear. I didn't know what to do any more than he did. I mean, I liked to help out, but there just wasn't anything I could do about it. I had talked to Tatsuha a while, too, but I'd almost immediately given that call to Yuki. As much as I wanted to help them both out, I figured maybe Tatsuha would rather talk to his family about this. Sure, I don't think Yuki was the first on Tatsuha's comfort list, but family was family.

            I checked the clock as I got up from my position on the couch. It was past 1:30…that was over three hours on the phone. It was doubtful Yuki was even aware I was still awake. I should have been, that was for sure. I had to be back at the studio at 6. That only gave me about 4 hours to sleep before I had to get back up again. I wasn't going right to sleep anyway; I needed to spend some time with Yuki first.

            "Yuki…" I half-whispered, hoping he wouldn't be mad at me for breaking his concentration. Obviously he'd been off the phone with Tatsuha for quite a while now. He barely even looked at me before returning to his writing. Well, that was painful.

            "Why aren't you in bed?" he asked without even bothering to look at me, and I tried my hardest not to laugh, walking over to him and shoving his hands away from the keys gently. He glared at me as I sat down in his lap, holding onto his hands so he couldn't push me off.

            "I couldn't sleep daddy, read me a story?" I pouted, pressing my face close to his. If he was going to be an ass about this I sure as hell could do the same thing. The look on Yuki's face was absolutely priceless, and I smiled at him innocently in return.

            "Once upon a time there was a pink-haired brat that always annoyed his lover before going to sleep. Then one day he got what he deserved, the end."

            "Do I get what I deserve?"

            "Don't complain to me when you're tired tomorrow. What were you two talking about anyway?" Yuki asked after a while, obviously not interested in the answer. At least he was attempting conversation, though. That was always a plus…even if he wasn't remotely interested in what was going on.

            "I'm sure Tatsuha told you what's going on, right?" Yuki nodded once in confirmation and I nodded back before continuing. "Ryuichi really doesn't want to go."

            "Then why is he?" Wow, either Yuki was actually starting to get interested in this conversation or he was desperate to get his computer back. I let go of his hands when he twitched slightly, smiling as innocently as I could manage.

            "Singing is everything to people like me…second to you, of course." Yuki smiled ever so slightly as he reached past me for his cigarettes. He probably hoped that I didn't notice it, but I did, and it was enough to make me happy for years.

            "So he's dragging Tatsuha into the middle of this for those reasons," he stated offhandedly as he grabbed a cigarette out of the pack, not even looking at me. I kind of wished he'd smile at me again, but that wasn't going to happen.

            "Yeah, I guess so…stop that," I demanded forcefully as Yuki lit his cigarette, taking it away from him and crushing it in the ashtray behind me. "Not when I'm sitting here. I wish you'd stop it for your own sake, but I know you won't so at least don't push it in my face." Yuki didn't seem too happy with me over that, but he didn't say anything.

            "Sounds kind of selfish to me." I nodded slowly and sighed. I didn't know how to explain this to Yuki in a way he would understand. I mean, I understood it…sort of. I understood the feelings behind it, but not why they were there. I would have wanted to do the same thing in Ryuichi's position, but there was no way I could leave Yuki behind. I couldn't just stop singing however. I had to wonder if ever this situation would turn towards me when a newer, better artist made his way to the top. Would I have to leave Yuki behind, or would he come with me? "Neither of you two bother to think things through, do you?" I smiled slightly and shook my head.

            "Nope. But that's what makes us famous now, isn't it?" Yuki quirked an eyebrow at me curiously and I couldn't help but laugh. "We do what our heart wants, not what our mind wants. You can tell when we sing. That's why people like us, even if my lyrics are crappy."

            "True your lyrics suck, but I don't think that's why people like you." With that Yuki wrapped his arms around me gently and I smiled, understanding what he wouldn't say. "Now really, why are you still awake?" As if Yuki didn't already know, weirdo.

            "Wanted to spend time with you, what else?" Yuki seemed a little aggravated at that and let go of me, crossing his arms instead. "What?"

            "I have better things to do than entertain you, you know. Between you and Tatsuha I barely have time to work." Wha…? What was so wrong with me wanting to spend a little bit of time with the person I loved before I went to sleep? Really, it wasn't like he wasn't going to be up all night writing anyway. I must have looked hurt because Yuki twitched ever so slightly, uncrossing his arms and holding me again. "Don't do that, idiot. Go to sleep already…you don't sleep enough as is."

            "What about you? You sleep less than I do."

            "I'm not a little brat, though, am I?"

            "I'm not a little brat!" Yuki seemed slightly amused by my arguments, but it didn't show through his facial expressions, rather through the way he acted. Living with Yuki you got to know someone more through how they acted than how they looked. You couldn't know Yuki without knowing that you couldn't trust the mask people wore.

            "Seriously, go to sleep," Yuki tried again, pushing me off his lap gently so that I was forced to stand rather awkwardly.

            "You sound like my mother."

            "Whatever gets you to go to sleep." I smiled mischievously at that, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek softly. "What is it now?"

            "Come to bed with me. I promise I'll sleep," I whispered softly into his ear, resting my hands on his shoulders. I'd never break a promise if I could help it, and Yuki knew that better than anyone. I also let it hang that I wouldn't sleep unless Yuki came with me, and he caught that as soon as I finished talking.

            "You're a sneak on top of being a little brat, and you know it."

            "Whatever works." I wasn't stupid enough not to know that Yuki was worried about me, and I could play off that as easily as anyone else could. To tell the truth, I was worried about him, too. He needed sleep more than I did, honestly. He worked himself too hard. He already had enough money, couldn't he take his time on a book or two? Relax and start working normal hours...sleep normal hours. "Come on, you know you want to." This was followed with more soft kisses, moving to wrap my arms around his neck.

            "I know no such thing." Liar. He wasn't even trying anymore, was he? "Get off of me, I have work to do."

            "You can work tomorrow while I'm gone." I purposely put extra emphasize on the last word of my sentence, hoping Yuki would give up. I reclaimed my spot on Yuki's lap while he obviously wasn't paying attention, closing my eyes and relaxing.

            "I was planning on doing both." Strong arms held me again, and I could tell I was winning. I felt sort of bad for manipulating him like I was, but it was for his own good. He really needed to start taking better care of himself. Out of the two of us, I think I was the one taking more care of the other.

            "Yu~uki…"

            "Stop that, and get up," Yuki demanded, shaking me.

            "Dun wanna," I whined in return, clinging to his shirt. "Wanna sleep with Yuki."

            "I'll go with you, just get up and let me close this."

            "Really? YAY!" I was off of Yuki's lap in an instant, immediately awake. I'd almost fallen asleep against him, so comfortable in his arms, even though sitting sideways in a chair was kind of painful.

            "Spoiled, sneaky little brat," he added as he shut down his computer, although he didn't seem upset with me. So long as Yuki wasn't mad at me, I didn't care what he called me.

            "YOUR spoiled, sneaky little brat," I teased him in return, latching onto his arm as we left his office.

            "Don't remind me." I hummed to myself happily as Yuki closed the door behind him, so unbelievably happy. I let go of him as we reached what was now OUR room, jumping into bed and smiling back at Yuki brightly. With a sigh he turned to leave again, and I was again attached to his arm.

            "YOU SAID YOU'D SLEEP WITH ME!!!" I whined, determined not to let go until morning, when I was sure Yuki couldn't leave me.

            "Not so loud!" Yuki screamed back, covering my mouth. "You're going to get us in trouble with the neighbors again." I smiled up at Yuki innocently, licking his fingers until finally he removed his hand from my face.

            "The neighbors are used to it. You promised me."

            "I never promised you anything, I said it," Yuki reminded me coldly, although we were slowly moving in the direction of the bed.

            "Same difference."

            "Not particularly. If I said I was going to kick your ass for being loud, it wouldn't be a promise anymore, would it?" Yuki asked as he dumped me onto the bed, sitting down on the edge.

            "Nope. Then it'd be a lie." Yuki smiled slightly at that, not even bothering to try and hide it. "Sleep, sleep, sleep," I reminded him, pulling on his shirt gently. "Don't think you can sneak off in the middle of the night, either," I promised, lips brushing over Yuki's as I spoke.

            "Believe it or not, I wasn't planning on it," Yuki answered before pulling me closer. So many things had changed since we'd first started 'dating' it was hard to believe we'd once been…well, who we'd been. True, it wasn't outwardly visible how much Yuki had changed, you could tell it in the simplest things he did.

            I pulled him to lay down with me without breaking our kiss, pressing close to him. Yuki wrapped an arm around my waist in return, and finally I broke away, closing my eyes.

            "Irresponsible, spoiled, sneaky little brat," Yuki added yet another thing to his list of insults, and I smiled ever so slightly. Once again he'd forgotten to mention that it was his fault I was here in the first place. If he would have left me alone that night in the park…

            "You're a brat, too," I interrupted my own thoughts, trying not to think of what would have become of either of us if he wouldn't have stumbled across my lyrics that night. I didn't want to think about it, especially not now.

            "Never said I wasn't."

            "Yeah, you're spoiled, too," I continued, deciding I deserved the opportunity to pick on Yuki the same way he did me. I was starting to fall asleep as was, I wasn't going to be awake for much longer.

            "I don't let go of what I want, if that counts as spoiled."

            "It does." Yuki sighed and I moved my arm to wrap around his waist as well. "Guess I'm stuck here, then, huh?"

            "You promised me you'd sleep," Yuki answered monotonously, reaching his hand up to run his fingers through my hair. I personally didn't think my hair was anything all too interesting, but Yuki seemed to like it.

            "That's not what I meant and you know it."

            "Yeah, I know." Yuki seemed more upset than I would have liked, and I held onto him tighter. "If you want t…"

            "I'd rather be stuck with Yuki," I answered even before Yuki could voice his thoughts. As much as he picked on me you'd figure he'd know the difference between when someone was picking on him or being serious. But no, he still took some things way too seriously. "And as much as you may not like it, you're stuck with me, too."

            "I could think of worse things."

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I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *laughs evilly*

Did'ya miss me?

Does anyone even read this story anymore???

Well, whichever way, I finally got around to writing on this story again. I've been working on my original story and Beauty and the Beast so long that I got a massive case of writer's block on this story. But the convention really helped bring it back to life (walking around with all the Gravitation fans and buying all that Gravitation stuff really helped).

And just for your own good, I'd leave my original fic alone. Beauty and the Beast is all right, I guess. People seem to like it.

OMFG! I just went through and reread all the reviews you people (if you still read this) have given me over the year, and I'm seriously so happy. To tell the truth, I've been very 'God I hate the world, no one cares' for the last couple of months, but reading over your nice reviews I'm smiling and seriously about ready to cry I'm so happy.

BTW—Chapter 29 is an actual chapter, not another 'just so you know I updated' thing.


	29. The problem is choice

Disclaimer: It didn't belong to me yesterday, and it doesn't belong to me today.

Notes: Well, we're back to Tatsuha's thought on the matter.

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            "You're mad at me," Ryuichi commented as he crawled over to sit next to me on the bed, resting a hand on my stomach. I didn't understand where he got that idea from, but he hadn't been able to get it out of his head since he'd told me about his desire to go to America.

            "I'm not mad at you, stop saying that," I practically ordered, continuing to stare up at the ceiling. I couldn't stand to look at him, true, but that wasn't because I was mad at him. It was because I felt so lost, and I didn't want him to know that. He would have been even more upset if he knew I was.

            "Then stop lying to me na no da. I know you're mad at me…I don't blame you for it," he added quietly, and I moved a hand from behind my head to rest on top of his, sighing. What was it going to take to convince him that I wasn't mad at him? This had to have been the fifth time he'd done this.

            "I'm not mad."

            "You should be." I sighed and slid my fingers between Ryuichi's gently, glancing over at him quickly. "I'd be mad at me if I were you na no da. I'm being selfish." There was no doubt in my mind that Ryuichi was being at least a little bit selfish, but after everything he'd given up for me, it wasn't as if he deserved it.

            "Ryuichi, do you remember what I was to you when we first met?" Ryuichi turned to blink at me innocently, and our eyes locked for a moment. "I wasn't Shuichi's friend to you. I wasn't Eiri's brother, Tohma's son-in-law. I wasn't your boyfriend or even your friend. What was I?" It was Ryuichi who broke eye contact, staring down at our hands.

            "A fan."

            "And what kind of a fan would keep the person they loved from singing?" I asked softly, sitting up. Ryuichi blushed slightly and turned to look towards the edge of the bed, obviously ignoring me. Maybe he was aware how stupid he'd sounded when he'd thought I'd actually be mad at him over this.

            "I want you to come with me, it's not like I'm asking you to leave na no da," he pouted, crossing his legs in front of him. I let go of his hand to wrap my arms around him gently, forcing him to look at me. "I don't want to leave Tatsuha, really I don't."

            "I know, but I have school. You know how much work I've put into this, and how much money I've already paid." Ryuichi nodded slowly, tears welling up in his eyes. "You know I'd go with you if I couldn't, but I can't. I just…can't."

            "Why not? You don't have to go to school; I have enough money for the both of us! We can live in America and you could see Michael again, and you wouldn't be so stressed out all the time, and I could sing again…" Ryuichi must have been desperate to bring Michael up at a time like this. Did he really think I would go with him just to see Michael again? Did he not trust me?

            "I don't want to, Ryuichi. Try to understand…I'm sick of being a burden to you."

            "You're not a burden!" he screamed in return, pushing away from me. "Why does no one let me help them? I try so hard to help people out and they all tell me the same old thing. I wanna help Tatsuha out na no da! I want to!" he screamed like a child throwing a fit, glaring at me. I don't think I had ever seen him this angry with me before, and I never wanted to relive the experience. His eyes were thin and narrow, and he looked like one of the posters from my old room…he didn't look human anymore.

            "Maybe we want to help you out, too, but you won't let us." Ryuichi opened his mouth to comment, before shutting it again. He just stood and glared at me, not saying a word. "Please don't do that, you really will make me mad at you."

            "Well I'm mad at Tatsuha na no da," he offered coldly, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. However, he was starting to cave. It was evident. He didn't look quite so mean, and he slumped against the wall carelessly. "I don't want to go without Tatsuha," he finally whined again, moving to sit on the bed again, leaning his head against my shoulder.

            "I don't want you to leave, either, but you're not going to be very happy staying here, are you?" Ryuichi shook his head quickly, reaching up to rest a hand on my shoulder. "How can you be happy if you can't sing?" I asked curiously, running my fingers through his hair. That was the whole reason he'd wanted to go to America in the first place, wasn't it?

            "I can still sing. I can sing for Tatsuha, and for my friends, and whatever fans I can keep around me…"

            "…But it won't be the same, right?" I finished for him, kissing his forehead. I wasn't so selfish as to hide him away from the rest of the world for my own selfish purposes; he should have known that I didn't want that for him. I didn't want him to sacrifice any more for me; he'd already done so much for me. He nodded slowly, pushing himself to sit upright, staring at me.

            "Tatsuha…I need to go out by myself…please think about coming with me?" he requested, eyes begging more than his voice. I nodded and Ryuichi smiled slowly, leaning over for a kiss before standing up and heading for the door. "Really do think about it…if you want me to stay I will, if you want me to go, I will…whether you decide you want to come or not na no da."

            "I will, I promise." With that Ryuichi shut the door behind him, and I heard the front door close not too long afterwards. It had been a while since Ryuichi had gone out for a walk by himself; it was frightening in a way. Right after you thought you understood him he went and did something like that. He didn't like being predictable, obviously.

            With a sigh I reached over for my cell phone, eying it carefully. I really should be making this decision on my own (I was an adult now, after all), but I needed advice…as much as I hated to admit it. I dialed the number I was so used to calling, hoping someone would pick up. Mika had a habit of not picking up when she otherwise occupied, whether or not she heard her phone ringing.

            "So you finally decided you wanted to call, huh?" At least she hadn't changed since I'd last seen her, still her snappy self, even under all the stress and exhaustion of taking care of Sakura. You'd figure she'd be too tired and snap at me like that. "There's a catch, isn't there?"

            "Would I call otherwise?"

            "Never have before, wouldn't expect it from you now. What's on your mind?" I hadn't thought to call Mika last night; it had been too late to bother her. I was surprised Shuichi hadn't told her all about it. Or Eiri, telling Tohma, telling Mika. Either way, I kind of expected her to already know what was going on.

            "Ryuichi wants to go back to America," I blurted out when I realized she didn't understand what was going on between us at the moment. There was a silence for a while, broken only by Sakura's going-ons in the background

            "Okay…what do you expect me to do about it?" she asked after a while, not sounding as much annoyed as confused. "I can't stop him from going to America any more than you can, you should know that."

            "But that's the thing. I can stop him from going…but I don't know if I want to. He wants me to go to America with him, but…I just can't. I can't just decide for him…can I?" I asked, feeling a little bit more desperate as time went on. This wasn't getting any easier. The more time Ryuichi gave me, the more and more I started to doubt my decisions, until I was stuck right at the beginning again.

            "Well, obviously that's what he wants from you."

            "But I don't want to be the one to stop him from singing!" I whined. Mika obviously didn't understand…not like I'd expected her to anyway. She was good at giving advice whether she understood or not. "But…at the same time…"

            "You don't want him leaving you behind?" I nodded, making a small affirmative noise and waiting to see if Mika could help me out. "You can't just quit school after all the work you've put into it though, can you?"

            "I'd rather not."

            "Well, I suggest you set your priorities straight first off. Decide what's most important to you. Having Ryuichi there with you, or having Ryuichi sing. School or being with Ryuichi in America. Being close to your family, or being close to Ryuichi. Really think about it, alright?" she pleaded, turning to say something to Sakura afterward.

            "Alright, I will. Ryuichi's out right now anyway, so I have some time."

            "If Ryuichi's willing to leave you behind then you've got quite a while. One second…" Mika stated suddenly, and I waited patiently to hear what else she had to say.

            "Hi Ta!" I smiled to myself as Sakura's cheerful voice reached me from the other end of the phone. I really should call more often, now that I thought about it. "Mom say Ta on phone. Sakura wanted hi!"

            "Hey," I managed cheerfully, and Sakura laughed in return, saying goodbye and blowing kisses before Mika was back on the phone, obviously a little bit more cheerful than she had been a few moment earlier.

            "Feel a little better?" she asked cheerfully, and my smile widened a little bit.

            "Of course."

            "I figured that would cheer you up a little bit. She's been wanting to use the phone all day anyway." I laughed, wishing Mika would stop by with Sakura for a while. I hadn't seen her in a while now. Kind of sad when I thought about it. I was starting to become like Eiri, more and more detached from the rest of the family.

            "Yeah, it worked. I should go and visit you guys some time…provided you can promise Tohma won't bite my head off."

            "Why would he bite your head off? You haven't done anything wrong…have you? If you've misbehaved…"

            "I've been a good little boy, I promise. Seriously, I'm almost 19; don't you think I can take care of myself?" They still insisted on giving me lectures, even thought I was starting to grow out of them. I was starting to understand why Eiri was always in such a bad mood whenever we tried to correct him.

            "I know you can take care of yourself, but still." Mika would always be the protective older sister type, now wouldn't she? It was too much a part of her to change now…although her attentions should have been more on her own life than Eiri's and mine. "So, I think now would be a good time to hang up now, huh?"

            "Yeah, probably. I'm sure you have other things to do." Mika laughed dryly from the other side of the phone.

            "When do I not?"

            "Point taken. I'll call you sometime soon, I promise, alright?"

            "If you don't I'll kick your ass and you know it," Mika promised in return, and we both said our goodbyes quickly before hanging up. With another long sigh I got up, walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch instead, grabbing my books from the table and opening to where I'd left off.

            It was hours later when Ryuichi finally came back, looking less energetic than he normally did. I don't think it was so much that he was tired as that he was worried over what my answer would be. I didn't offer it right away, but waited as he sat down next to me, taking the bottom of his shirt in his hands tightly.

            "So…" he ventured after a while and I closed my book, setting it on the couch next to me. I took one of Ryuichi's hands in mine carefully, pulling it away from his shirt. This worked to focus his attention on me, blue eyes staring into mine, looking scared.

            "I can't leave…not right now. I have school…and family here." Ryuichi looked hurt at that, but he didn't turn away from me. "I can't keep you holed up with me either, you're obviously miserable like this…" Ryuichi was in my arms even before I could finish talking, shaking. I held him gently, trying to think of what I could say to make him understand. "It's not like it's over, please don't think that. Please…"

            "I'm not," he reassured me quietly, holding onto me tighter. "You'll come to America some day…right? And…you'll stay there with me?" he asked hopefully, but he wouldn't look up at me, didn't move at all.

            "Yes…but I don't know when," I answered truthfully, and Ryuichi started crying quietly. I held him for a while, until finally he moved, arching up to kiss me deeply…again and again and again, even as his tears continued to fall.

            "So long as I can see Tatsuha again, I'll be alright," he managed, wiping tears from his eyes, pushing my book to the ground and laying on the couch with me, closing his eyes. I don't think he realized that I saw the tickets shoved in his back pocket.

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…I'm out of hyper bouncy things to say, so I'll just skip over this part and go back to begging for reviews.

And in case anyone missed it and just skipped over here, I updated chapter 28, too. Another YukixShuichi moment.


	30. Goodbyes and Hellos

Disclaimers: All this time and Gravitation still doesn't belong to me. Believe it? So do I…

Notes: Ryuichi's point of view, because where would we be without Ryuichi?

~*The Bible of Kumagoro—Getting Closer to Your God*~

            I wrapped fingers around Kumagoro's hand tightly as I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I wanted to be energetic, really I did, but it just wasn't happening. I'd gone out with my friends last night. There had been a big dinner, lots of talking, and some wandering around before going back to Shuichi's place to hang out. Today wasn't about my friends, though. It was about Tatsuha.

            Today was my last day in Japan. The last time I was going to see Tatsuha for God only knew how long. A few months, a few years…ever. I didn't want to think about it that way, but it was true. One never knew what could happen when you're not there for somebody…not to say I thought Tatsuha would find someone else na no da! I mean…I wouldn't be mad if he did. I'd be plenty hurt, sure…but someone like him doesn't deserve to be alone because of someone like me.

            "Please don't look so sad," Tatsuha requested, sitting down next to me, his fingers running through my hair gently. He looked just as sad as I felt, and I couldn't help but wonder if he knew that he looked exactly the same…or was it just that I'm expected to be energetic and he's not? Was that why it's so wrong for me to look upset when I'm upset?

            "I can't help it na no da…" Tatsuha sighed and pressed a kiss to my forehead softly. I closed my eyes and squirmed slightly, not really liking it. It was too sad…too lonely. It felt too much like a good-bye kiss. "Give me a real kiss," I demanded as he tried to sit back up, pressing a hand to the back of his neck to hold him there.

            He didn't seem too unwilling.

            "I wish I could go with you," he whispered softly, tracing a finger over my lips lightly. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it. Today was a day for thinking about Tatsuha…about being with Tatsuha today, not about leaving him tomorrow. Before I could try and protest he silenced me with his finger, pressing another kiss to my forehead. "After I finish school…after that I'll go," he promised again. I believed him, but he didn't seem to think I did. Was he as afraid of this as I was?

            As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was scared that Tatsuha might find someone else while I was away…and I was starting to think he thought the same about me. I could still call him once a week, just like I had when he'd been in Kyoto. It wouldn't be exactly the same, but I wasn't going to just let him go after all the things we'd been through.

            "I know. I…I've decided I'm going to leave Kumagoro here to keep you out of trouble while I'm gone na no da. You two have to come back to me or…or…or I'll have Tohma do really bad things to you na no da!" As childish a threat as it may have seemed, I meant it. I may have pulled it off as a childish tease, but I was serious. I was leaving my best friend and boyfriend behind; if either of them abandoned me I could be sure Tohma would make them understand the seriousness of what they'd done.

            "You can't leave Kumagoro here. Then you'll be all alone in America, idiot. You need someone to keep you company." Even though I hated being called an idiot, I didn't bother complaining about it as Tatsuha kissed me again. I was going to miss this, but I'd be all right. I'd done it before…left my friends behind to pursue a solo career. But I hadn't had anyone special back then.

            "And you need someone to keep you company in this big place. Wouldn't you be lonely living here all by yourself?" I'd known what that was like…it was horrible, waking up every morning in a huge bed all by yourself. Wandering the long hallways without anyone to talk to, sitting in a large empty room and watching fake characters on the TV. It wasn't a feeling I wanted to share with anyone. That's why I'd be getting a small home in America until Tatsuha came back. Then we'd get another nice place together.

            "Yes, I would be. Thank you for letting Kumagoro stay with me. I'll make sure he takes good care of himself for you." I smiled and pulled Tatsuha for a tight hug, burying a hand in his hair.

            "Thanks. You take care of yourself, too na no da." Tatsuha nodded and I sighed again before letting go, sitting up and pushing him away from me gently. I managed my best smile and grabbed Kumagoro, finally acting like my old self again. "Let's go do something fun, alright? I don't want my last day with Tatsuha to be sad na no da. Okay?" Tatsuha smiled slightly in return and nodded, getting off the bed and standing up. He reached a hand out to me, which I took gladly.

            "Tatsuha and Ryuichi on a date just like the good old days!" I cheered happily, dragging Tatsuha with me out of my room and through the house, only stopping to lock the door behind me. Kumagoro was coming along, too, of course. I couldn't just leave my friend behind without doing something good for them. He felt a little betrayed…as much as he liked Tatsuha he wanted to go with me back to America. My poor little friend…

            "Where are you dragging me?" Tatsuha actually bothered after a while of walking, not putting up much of a protest, just curious. At least, it didn't seem like he was protesting. He wasn't trying to get away or anything.

            "We need to find someplace different to go today, because today is special na no da." Tatsuha didn't say anything after that, just followed me quietly, moving to slide his fingers between mine when the crowd of people disappeared, leaving us mostly alone.

            We never did find anywhere special, just walked around a few parks quietly. Eventually we wandered to Tatsuha's old high school, sitting down on a park bench nearby and talking. Mostly about where we'd gone in these last couple of years. I must admit, nothing about me had really changed noticeably…but what did change was the part of me that only Tatsuha had seen. The scared, insecure part of me was gone…or had been gone. I was scared again; scared that something bad might happen and I wouldn't be there to stop it.

            The closer the time came, the more I started to doubt myself. However, it was just that feeling that made me so determined to leave. I had to be my own person again. I couldn't be the pouty, whiny, bored little person I had become. I wanted to be the strong, energetic young singer I had been years before I'd even met Tatsuha. I wanted to sing, to be my own person and share myself with the rest of the world. I couldn't really do that while I was relying on other people.

            Tatsuha and I returned home around eight, well after dark. Not many words were spoken on the way home, but I was content with that. I was well past talking, kisses and touches taking the place of words when finally we returned to my room…leaving poor Kumagoro to sleep on the couch by himself.

            The next morning I was awake at six, the alarm ringing in the same annoying pitch it always did. Without a word I pulled myself closer to Tatsuha, not wanting to get up. I was tired, and I was comfortable. Tatsuha sat up even with my arms locked around his waist, turning off the alarm clock for me.

            "Come on, get up," Tatsuha demanded, resting his hands over mine. I shook my head stubbornly. I just wanted a few more minutes to sleep in with Tatsuha. "Ryuichi…" at that tone in his voice I let go. He sounded annoyed, and finally I opened my eyes to look up at him.

            "Meany. It's your fault I'm so tired anyway," I whined, sitting up to kiss his cheek softly. I could tell he was smiling now and I kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him happily…as happily as I could, anyway. I felt guilty feeling happy, as weird as it may sound.

            "I know." I laughed and let go of Tatsuha reluctantly, letting him stand up finally. "Start getting ready and I'll…do something productive." His cheerfulness seemed forced, and it probably was, but I wasn't going to say anything about it. He was making an effort not to upset me any more than I already was, because I'll admit that deep down I was upset, and I wasn't going to ruin that for him.

            I showered quickly, probably faster than I ever had in my life, and dried my hair as Kumagoro lounged in the tub, already clean. My hair never cooperated with me when it was wet, I had to dry it. I wasn't going to deal with it all morning…or on the plane, for that matter. Kumagoro didn't have to worry about it, he had other people to deal with his problems…and I was sure Tatsuha would take care of him. Tatsuha had showered the night before and didn't have to worry about showering now, lucky boy.

            "I thought you were going to do something productive," I teased as I left the bathroom, finding Tatsuha lounging in the living room, watching Nittle Grasper music videos. I smiled slightly as I watched it with him, leaning against the back of the couch. I'd miss Nittle Grasper; I always did when I left. Not to say I didn't like being on my own, but it was always so much more fun with Noriko and Tohma there with me.

            "I did, I called Eiri and Shuichi. They're picking up something to eat and then coming over. I didn't feel like cooking." My smile grew a little at that and I crossed my arms over the back of the couch. For the first time since I'd made up my mind to leave, I wasn't feeling all too bad about it all. I would have singing back to keep me happy, and Tatsuha had his friends and family. We'd make it through all right.

            Shuichi and Yuki didn't take too long getting there, and as promised they brought food. Cheap, quick food, but food. It seemed to have been Shuichi's idea, seeing as Yuki was holding it as if it was positively evil and didn't actually have anything to eat eat.

            Breakfast was spent in positive conversation, the topic only every so often turning towards my departure that day. Mostly talk about this and that, what Shuichi and Yuki had done yesterday, on and on. Things like that. Simple, trivial little things that I loved to hear about my friends. It was nice to know Shuichi and Yuki weren't fighting so much anymore na no da! Shuichi decided rather by himself that he and Yuki would be driving me to the airport, although Yuki didn't really bother to put up a fight.

            Either he was really tired or he liked me more than I thought…or maybe it was just that he didn't want to fight with Shuichi. I hoped that last one was right; Shuichi didn't deserve to be argued with over tiny little things like that. I could always pay Yuki back for the gas he used if he needed it…which I doubted. If ever there were someone whose popularity had rivaled mine before Shuichi came along, it was Yuki Eiri.

            "Ryuichi has to write me from America! You will write me, won't you?" Shuichi demanded as we were halfway there, turning around in his seat to face me. I smiled uncertainly and nodded, curling back up against Tatsuha. I would probably sleep on the plane, but Tatsuha wouldn't be there, holding me and running his fingers through my hair. I wasn't going to have that luxury for a long time coming.

            Goodbyes were short, for various reasons. Shuichi looked like he was going to start crying if he didn't shut up, Yuki just plain old didn't have anything to say to me, and Tatsuha…nothing needed to be said. Everything that had needed to be said had been said yesterday. All that was left was actually going through with it.

            With a bright smile I bid them all farewell, wanting nothing more than to wrap my arms around Tatsuha and kiss him over and over again until I absolutely had to go. This was the absolute last time I was going to see them for years…and they me. I wasn't going to leave a sad image in their minds.

            "I'll see you later," I whispered as I reached up to kiss Tatsuha once on the cheek, speaking as casually as if I was just leaving for the day…and then I turned around and did just that…left.

            It was hours later when finally we landed, and I had slept most of the flight. As much as I loved airplanes and flying in them, all I wanted was sleep. It was daylight when I got off the plane, carrying what few things I had dragged on with me…one of which was my beloved CD player. I blinked as a familiar face waved me down inside, smiling at me happily.

            "Michael…what are you doing here?" I inquired as the smiling blonde ran up to greet me, hands latching onto my wrist gently. He'd changed more than I would have imagined over the years, but those eyes were still the same, hidden now behind thin glasses.

            "Tatsuha called me and said you were coming to America. He asked if I'd come pick you up…said he didn't want you to be all alone when you got here." I smiled happily at that, touched to know Tatsuha had went out of his way to do that for me. I wasn't worried anymore, not now. We'd be fine…

~*~*~*~*~

            "Calm down, calm down. You're going to wear yourself out before he gets here," Michael warned me as I hopped from one foot to another, getting sick of waiting. I knew planes were late, but…I took a moment to check my watch…

            "He's so late. I wanna see him NOW!" I whined, turning desperate eyes on Michael. He'd replaced his glasses with contacts now, so I no longer had a 'standing mirror' as I'd taken to calling him. All in good fun, of course…

            It was a while later when finally their plane arrived, and I was out of my seat in an instant (having sat down at Michael's request). People were filing out all over the place; it was going to be hard to find them…

            "Ryuichi!" I screamed in surprise as someone grabbed me from behind, arms latching tightly around my waist. "I missed you I missed you I missed you!" Shuichi cheered happily in heavily accented English, and I smiled happily, getting him to let go with some effort. Thankfully his attention was quickly shifted to Michael, who he talked to with quite some difficulty.

            Yuki was somewhat later getting off the plane, walking at his casual pace, not seeming at all concerned that Shuichi had run off without him…not that it was hard to find him with his bright pink hair. It wasn't so much Yuki I was interested in as the other boy, hair pulled into a short ponytail as he followed his brother out of the plane, looking much older than he really was.

            Neither of us spoke for a while as the crowd walked past, talking and laughing, and Michael and Shuichi continued to try their hand at a conversation behind us. I hadn't thought Tatsuha would change so much while I was away, having hardly changed myself.

            "You stole my old haircut," I finally offered with a shy smile, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck slowly. His own arms wrapped around my waist in return and I sighed happily, glad to have my Tatsuha back. "I missed you."

            "I missed you, too." I smiled to myself and held onto him tighter. This moment was more than worth everything else I'd lost when I'd left Japan. "Kumagoro's with Shuichi, just so you know. I kept my promise." I laughed and let go finally, moving to stand back on my feet steadily.

            "I never doubted you would." Tatsuha smiled, sliding sunglasses down my nose so he could see my eyes. It was awkward, having not seen him for so long, but I'd get over it. People changed, but not enough that I couldn't adjust. Nothing had changed…well, not really. Tatsuha was still Tatsuha, and I was still Ryuichi. There was nothing to be afraid of; nothing had been lost between us…only gained.

            Yeah…we'd be fine.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well, there you have it. Finally, the end. After 30 long chapters, it's over. It's been a long journey, and I'd like to honestly thank those of you that have stuck with it…especially since the beginning. It's been over a year since I started this thing, and NEVER did I think I would make it last this long.

I love you all, thank you for your support as I struggled through this…slowly…very slowly *big hugs to you all* If I were you I would have given up on this story a long time ago. I wouldn't have had the patience to wait for my long-stretched updates, so I really do appreciate it.

There'll be other 'Bible of Kumagoro' stories, but those only are named such, because…I dunno. They tie in with this story loosely…but this is the original, and am I glad I stuck with it to the end.


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